


Wild Winter's Day

by wildwintersday



Series: Wild Winter's Day [1]
Category: British Royalty RPF
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Minor Character Death, Prince Harry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-26
Updated: 2017-10-26
Packaged: 2019-01-23 16:19:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 76,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12511364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildwintersday/pseuds/wildwintersday
Summary: Maybe this was who she was meant to be, what they were destined to be.Settling for a lonely life, Annalisa never thought she would overcome her fears of letting a soldier into her heart. Until she met him. This is how they…





	1. How They First Locked Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! :)

_Breathe in… one, two, three.. Breathe out.  
_

Peaceful stillness.

_Breathe in… one, two, three.. Breathe out._

Empty thoughts.

It had been several years since Annalisa had learned how to master the art of meditating in a crowded area whenever her overactive mind was running wild, desperately trying to calm the anxious feeling within her chest.  She had learned the basics from her therapist back home, at first only using the technique when she’d be lying awake in bed while a million thoughts coursed through her mind.  But as she ventured out into the new city, gathering her inner strength to participate in causes that were dear to her heart, she began to utilize the skills in a more public setting.

It had been four years since she left her broken family and old life behind, four years since she picked herself up and took the move that changed her entire world.  The journey from New York City to London was a long one, but it had been exactly what she had needed.  Now, here she was, a new Anna–committed to a new life; a new _normal_ , all in hopes of catching a glimpse of who she was meant to be.

An opportunity at Great Ormond Street Hospital was the open door Anna had been in search of after completing her studies as a registered pediatric nurse back in NYC.  Working as a night nurse four nights a week, she found herself to enjoy the gratifying–and sometimes _draining_ –position more than she had thought she would.  She was the children’s bright light of hope in the most troubled times.  She was the smiles and the laughter they needed, each and every day.

Parents and staff could find her roaming the halls with a pep in her step, humming softly to herself and gently smiling when her tired eyes would lock with them, even during the dead hours of night.  But what they loved the most about her were the countless mornings when the new set of nurses would arrive to switch shifts and instead of changing out of her scrubs like the others, Anna would be found holding the hand of a frightened child or comforting a family in mourning.

She was warm…kind… _dedicated_.

And in their eyes, she appeared to be _happy_.

…..Until morning came and she would have to make the journey back to an empty flat.

Sleep didn’t come easy, the loneliness becoming increasingly loud when all she had were the same walls surrounding her, and because of this Anna became a workaholic. Most recently, she had found herself dedicating the rest of her free time with organizing special events for _Walking With the Wounded._

Coming from a military family, she had grown up volunteering for veterans back in the States.  Her father and grandfather both had been well respected Marines and had taught her and her four older brothers the importance of supporting the retired soldiers.

But, even with the experience and knowledge, Anna hadn’t been all too keen on agreeing to participate with the organization. She had cringed when her fellow nurse mentioned her husband’s involvement with the wounded soldiers, not because she was heartless and uncaring about the servicemen and women, but because of how close it hit to home.  Lily had spent months of testing out several tactics to encourage the young brunette to agree, especially since her husband was worried about how much they were in dire need of volunteers.

In the end, Anna couldn’t recall what had actually finally pushed her over the edge, Lily’s persistence probably had something to do with it, but truthfully, it felt like a bigger out-of-this-world pull that gravitated her to it.

Now, several months into her involvement with the most inspiring heroes she would ever have the pleasure of exchanging a few words with, she still couldn’t stop the sting in her heart.

_Nine years_.  It had been nine years since she had lost her twin brother–a U.S. Marine–during his first deployment at the tender age of twenty, barely a legal adult in the States.

Benjamin had been her rock; her solid ground.  Her _best friend_.  Losing him had shattered her, tore her whole world apart. It had been the most devastating thing that had happened to her to date.

Following Ben’s untimely death, Anna had spent the following two years drowning herself in sadness, turning to seclusion in their shared townhouse whilst focusing on finishing up her nursing.  She had stopped being the lively daughter to her parents and the supportive sister to her brothers.  She had stopped all volunteer work that had _any_ relation to the reminder of her fallen brother.

She had, simply, stopped being _Annalisa._

And although that had been almost a decade ago, and she had been through years of grievance counseling, she still wasn’t quite the same girl she used to be.  In fact, she was riddled with _new_ insecurities, more haunting fears, and a faithless outlook on love and life.

Until the day **he** walked into her life.

Harry had been training for _WWTW_ trek for the South Pole, this much Anna knew.  She could recall the numerous dinners she had with Lily and Paul discussing the upcoming events to keep the participants motivated and feeling appreciated.  Paul was quick to mention Harry’s participation with excitement and gratitude, but Anna hadn’t given it much thought, never realizing she would at some point have to come face-to-face with the soldier Paul spoke highly of.

That all changed at the Crystal Ball Gala, an extravagant event she had been in charge of coordinating.

The night had been absolutely amazing, filled with incredibly rich food, lively music that kept the audience enchanted, and plenty of champagne flowing all around. Easy conversation and bouts of laughter vibrated around the ballroom, the attendees and those whom were being honored in absolute awe of the warm and inviting environment.

It was beautiful to witness.

And Anna would have appreciated it more…if she hadn’t gone and made herself tipsy.

Admittedly, she should have known better than to have that second glass of the expensive bubbly drink being the lightweight she was, but she had worked hard planning the event.  Months and months of creating and rechecking the guest list, selecting the perfect music and food, and carrying around a massive portfolio of important documents around all of Central London by public transportation.  She had done the work, had put her whole heart into it as she perfected every aspect of the fundraising event, all the while caring for her patients back at the hospital.  To say she had earned that second celebratory glass was an understatement.  Hell, she had earned the whole damn bottle.

Alcohol was usually used to calm nerves, to build lowered confidence; it seemed to have the opposite effect on her because as the night progressed, so did the anxiety created from being in a crowded room.

_Breathe in… one, two, three.. Breathe out._

Embarrassingly enough, that was how Harry had first laid eyes on her – her hand on her diaphragm as she stood discreetly off to the side, deeply inhaling and exhaling with her eyes shut.

Harry knew she thought she couldn’t be seen, and hadn’t been to the rest of the oblivious guests, but he had always been aware of the people surrounding him; he had always been a watcher, paying close attention to little details.  The first thing that caught his eye was her dark tresses that flowed freely around her delicate face, her curls bouncing freely with every breath she took.  Then his eyes wandered on her skin, porcelain and pale; he couldn’t help but wonder if it was as smooth and soft as it looked.

Right then and there, he couldn’t stop staring; couldn’t quench his thirst for this woman he had no knowledge of. Her perfectly shaped brows.  The dark liner around her almond shaped eyes, and long lashes resting lightly on the top of her softly blushed cheeks. Her shiny **_peach_ ** colored lips.

Harry was staring openly at her, he knew.  His lips were slightly parted and a quick intake of breath could be heard as his eyes raked down her feminine figure, taking in her curves that made his lips press together to suppress a moan.  The deep red cocktail dress she wore was long and fell just slightly above her strappy silver heels, but the slit that was parted at the front allowed him to appreciate the milky skin of her legs that seemed to go on for miles, despite her short frame.

Harry didn’t notice the rise of his brows while his eyes roved all over the gorgeous woman, nor did he realize his palms had begun to sweat.  But there was no mistaking the skip in his heart beat when his gaze flitted back up north, wide startled golden eyes staring directly back at him.

_“Fuck.”_

The familiar stirring in his black pants was evident when her cheeks reddened, mirroring his own natural blush.  He could tell she was no longer breathing steadily, her chest rising and falling as she took uneven breaths by the intense stare he kept on her.

And then he smiled.  He smiled **_that_ ** smile and Anna _knew_ instantly – he wanted her.

Anna could hear the warning bells ringing in her head, could see the red flags go up.  He was… **_him_**.  As simple and as complicated as that was.  He was royalty.  British royalty, and she was an American who lived across the pond on a work visa.  Normally, she wasn’t one to judge, but all Anna could see flashing in her mind were magazine and newspaper clippings, trying to gain some sense before she allowed him to sweep her off her feet.

_Prince Harry parties hard in Vegas._

_Prince Harry drunk encounter with the paps while exiting a nightclub._

_Prince Harry rumored to be dating so-and-so._

But his smile.  Oh, that man’s crooked **_smile_**.  Genuine and inviting, and.. _sensual_.

_Prince Harry charms the panties off of women all over the world._

The thought made her lips twitch, her cheeks blazing from the raunchy images that had found a way to creep into her mind.

The hint of a smile was all Harry needed to make his move.  And that’s exactly what he did with a charming grin adorning his face, turning Anna’s insides into mush.

_Oh God,_ she thought _,_ already feeling the charm radiating off of him as he strode over to her with such confidence.  _Bastard._


	2. How They Were Introduced

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Welcome home, Captain,” Anna said, reaching out a trembling hand. “Pleased to meet you.” Harry took her delicate hand in his and Anna prayed he couldn’t feel the slight shake it held, especially as he brought it up to his lips for a soft gentleman kiss. “Thank you for your service.”
> 
> Oh, fuck me. Harry thought to himself. An American. “Harry, please, and pleasure’s all mine, Annalisa.”

At twenty-eight, Anna was very much an introvert with little experience in the dating field – or in the opposite sex for that matter.  If there were attractive men in close perimeters, better believe she would find a way to completely humiliate herself by the end of the night. Apparently, she had never grown out of her awkwardly quirky teenaged self.

So, when Harry began to advance towards her, her immediate reaction was to contemplate fleeing as her heart hammered inside her chest.  She took note of the emergency exits, the bright red light that read EXIT glowing in the corner of her eye.  If she walked ten feet to the right, she would be home-free, fifteen to her left and she could isolate herself inside one of the bathroom stalls.  She contemplated which way to go.

_Left…right…left…right._

Unfortunately (or fortunately), a calloused hand resting on her shoulder stopped her before she could take a step in either direction.  The brief look of disappointment on Harry’s face temporarily paralyzed her before she inwardly shook herself and turned to greet Paul.

“Annalisa, I believe you outdid yourself! This has been such a lovely evening already…absolutely magnificent.”

Anna smiled warmly at him, her nerves subsiding.  She had been fond of Paul from their very first meeting months ago, his naturally dark hair flecked with gray from age bringing a sense of nostalgia for her father back home.

“Oh, please don’t mention it.“ Her eyes took a sweep around before she added, “It seems like a bigger turnout than we had originally thought.”

“Paul, good to see you again.” Paul pat her shoulder in appreciation before turning his attention to the figure that had suddenly approached them.

Anna’s heart sped up once again at the sound of the deep earthy voice over her shoulder.  She turned slightly towards him and felt her palms sweat, despising the way he was affecting her without so much of a word towards her, the panic flooded her tight chest.  She glanced up after steadying her irregular breaths and caught his blue eyes boring into her once more.  Intently holding his penetrating gaze, the galloping in her chest escalated and the blush rose on her cheeks.

Harry’s unfaltering attention was a mix between unnerving and wildly exciting.  Shying away from the fire that was igniting in his hynptizing orbs, Anna averted her eyes quickly to his attire; it did nothing to calm the awakened desire that was growing in the pit of her stomach, the lapels of his jacket and perfected bow-tie fueling her need to reach out her itching palms to feel the fabric against her skin.

It felt like minutes, hours, days, eternity of them silently flirting; realistically, it was a flash of a few seconds.

“Captain Wales! Welcome home, soldier.”

Harry reluctantly tore his darkened eyes from her enticing beauty and shook the older man’s hand. “Thank you.  It’s good to be back home.”

“I’m sure it is…I’m sure it is.” Paul gestured to Anna with an outstretched hand, “Please, let me introduce you to one of our brilliant event coordinators…Miss Annalisa Caro.  I was actually just commending her work with organizing tonight’s event.  Annalisa, Captain Wales here has recently returned from active duty back in….” Paul trailed off in question.

“January,” Harry confirmed and cleared his throat.  _Four months, twenty days to be exact._

“Welcome home, Captain,” Anna said, reaching out a trembling hand.  “Pleased to meet you.” Harry took her delicate hand in his and Anna prayed he couldn’t feel the slight shake it held, especially as he brought it up to his lips for a soft gentleman kiss.  “Thank you for your service.”

_Oh, fuck me._ Harry thought to himself _. An American._ “Harry, please, and pleasure’s all mine, Annalisa.”

Anna’s eyes slightly rolled and she groaned inwardly at the twinkle in his eye.  He was _definitely_ trying to charm her panties off.

Indicating her reaction hadn’t gone unnoticed by him, Harry let out an amused chuckle.  Anna raised her eyebrows in reply, and Harry couldn’t stop the excitement swirling in his belly at the challenge she unknowingly had presented him with.  In reply, Harry lifted his own brows to mirror hers, accepting her challenge and throwing one right back to her.

She reluctantly tore her hand away from him, and brought it to join her other hand that had been curled around the red clutch.  “Anna, please.”

Harry smirked in reply.  “Alright, then.  Hello, Anna.”

“Annalisa’s no stranger to the army life,” Paul revealed, taking Anna by surprise. “Your father served in the Vietnam War, is that right, Annalisa?”

Anna nodded, “Yeah..um..thankfully, only for a year before the peace agreement went into effect.  He’s since retired from the US Marines, so…”

“Interesting,” Harry mused. “I guess that means at one point in time we were enemies?”

The smile that spread wide on her face was enough to make any man’s heart stop – Harry was hopelessly captivated by her.

“I guess you’re right, Captain.”

Harry wanted to groan at the way _captain_ rolled off her tongue, like a temptress wheeling him in.  He wondered how it would sound if he had his mouth trailing kisses along the column of her sweet neck, if it would be in a breathy whisper, or maybe a pleasured moan.

“That’s alright,” Harry winked, pleased to see her lips part involuntarily.  “Water under the bridge, yeah?”

“White flag.” She giggled lightly, her wrist flicking side to side to imitate the waving of a flag in the air.

Harry barked a laugh, her cuteness rousing a slumbering part of him that couldn’t yet be defined.

Paul cleared his throat, growing increasingly uncomfortable from witnessing the strong attraction that was undeniable.  Suddenly, he had become the third wheel.   “Well, the evening has begun.  Let’s have a seat, shall we?”

Harry stepped aside and motioned towards the dining area where the guests had started to shuffle into their assigned places for the evening.  “After you, _Anna_.”

Anna offered a soft thanks and took a quick deep breath before making her way past him to take her seat, his heated stare fixated on the curves that were hugged by the dress she wore sending shivers along her skin.

———  
Throughout the whole dinner, Anna kept finding herself glancing at Harry who sat two tables from her.  A curve formed on her lips, impressed at the confidence that squared his shoulders as he easily chatted with the guests.  She couldn’t help but wonder how many of these dinners he had already attended and how long it took him to perfect the art of casual conversation with people he didn’t associate with regularly.  She secretly wished she had the same ability to be a bit more open.

Anna had to admit she still had trouble conversing with her peers at the hospital.  She didn’t have much friends, occasionally being invited over for a dinner party by a couple of the nurses she worked with.  The only time she felt in her comfort zone was when she was caring for the children.  She had always been an awkward teenager, clumsy and a bit quirky in the eyes of her former classmates.  Not that it had mattered much to her, relying on her family’s opinion above all others.  As a teen, instead of taking trips to the mall with girlfriends and gossiping over a day at the spa, she had spent weekends shopping with her mother, or camping and playing sports with her brothers and father.

They had been a close knit American family – the American dream (with a larger clan than the average 2.5 kids).

But that had been before they had grown up.  Before they had suffered the loss of one of their own.

Anna felt her chest tighten at the thought of her brother.  It had been so many years without him now, but time did not heal like people had constantly told her it would.  The passing of time didn’t ease the ache in her heart–-the pain she carried with her.  She was _different_ after it all.  Her **_life_** was different, a life of security and faith dying along with him.

Applause echoed around her, jerking her back to the present time.  She caught a glimpse of Harry making his way towards the stage to deliver his speech and leaned on the back of her chair, praying he wouldn’t find her in the crowd.

She couldn’t think coherently with those daring blue eyes staring directly at her.

“Good evening…”

Anna found herself appreciating how handsome he was, standing tall while shuffling his feet back and forth.  His broad shoulders made her bite her lip, spiking her curiosity to feel the hardness of his muscular physique that was surely underneath his tux.

Harry had years of practice with public speaking, she was sure, but somehow the nervous habits were easy to spot.  For one, he was animated with his hands, wringing them together constantly, and although his deep voice was steady, it had the occasional stumble that she found quite adorable.

“…Arms, legs that will never grow back as well as mental injuries – the image of your best friend being blown up next to you, that’s something that will never leave you.”

Harry was brilliant at addressing the military personnel, his heartfelt speech bringing withheld tears along with a touch of much needed laughter.  His shattering honesty conveyed the personal experience of a soldier, causing her to flinch.  The interest in him was growing stronger, Anna empathizing with him and sharing his compassion to the cause, but there was something holding her back… Holding her back from _what_ exactly, she didn’t know.

“Thank you again for coming out and for your continuous support.  I hear there’s some great music lined up for tonight so please enjoy yourselves.”

The lights dimmed as he took his last step off the stage and immediately took direction to a line up of men and women, waiting to shake his hand and share a few words with a man who never passed up an opportunity to introduce himself and listen to the veterans’ stories.

Anna sighed, her gaze passing around the room in an attempt to avoid the butterflies in her tummy.  She had been the only one left at her assigned table with the other planning committee, not in the slightest bothered by the time it gave her to collect her rambling thoughts.

A throaty voice shook her out of her reverie several minutes later.

“What’s your secret?”

Anna whipped her head around to find Harry grinning at her with dancing eyes, her stomach performing somersaults at their close proximity.  “Excuse me?” She choked out.

“How do you clear a table so fast?” Harry teased, settling on the empty seat beside her.

Anna cocked an eyebrow in his direction, flabbergasted at his approach.  “Well, I can assure you I use soap regularly if that’s what you’re implying.” Her eyes widened in embarrassment as soon as the words slipped out of her mouth. _What the fuck._

Harry threw his head back and let out a hearty laugh, causing her cheeks to tint with a new shade of pink.  He thought she was _cute_ being so flushed in his presence, her deer in headlights eyes staring at him in mortification.

“Oh my god, did I really just..” she murmured, berating herself. _Really, Anna? Idiot._

His face contorted into a pained expression after his laughter died down.  Inwardly scowling at his shaken confidence, he wiped his brow and cleared his throat before restarting.  “No, no, no.. you’re right.. Maybe that wasn’t the best way to strike up a conversation.  I normally don’t have a difficult time with this.”

“With _what_?” She asked, brow creased in curiosity.

“Approaching a beautiful woman.”

_Corny_ , she thought, but his compliment still very much effected her judging by the swell in her chest.  “Wow…um.. thank you? That’s…very sweet.”

Harry smiled at her modesty. “I’ve never been this nervous before.”

Anna was taken aback by his honesty, not once noticing _he_ was lacking his earlier self-assurance to approach her.  She chewed on her bottom lip as she watched him struggle to find the proper words to say next, something she hadn’t seen all night, and felt a boost of confidence.

“To be honest, I’ve never really been all that good with people,” she confided, the smile evident in her lowered tone as she leaned towards him.  “I’m sure they were all just dying to get away.”

A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips before he replied.  “Or maybe the steak was a little too on the still mooing side.” The giggles that rose from her chest made his heart flutter, and he _knew_ right then and there – he was in deep shit.  “I beg to differ on your earliest statement; I’ve heard you’re good with children.”

“Oh, really?”

“Mhm,” he hummed with a single nod.  “Paul tells me you’re a pediatric nurse at Great Ormond.”

Anna lifted a brow, a teasing smile tilting her lips.  “Sorry, have you been checking up on me?”

Harry blushed and shrugged in reply.  “Does that bother you, _Anna_?”

The way he kept emphasizing her name most certainly bothered her, she mused, fighting against the butterflies that kept multiplying.  Swallowing back a less than proper reply, she diverted the conversation to something she felt was a bit more safe.  “Kids are much different than adults, though,” She began, ignoring his brows knitting together in confusion.  “They’re honest and have kind souls….not one mean bone in their body.”

Harry leaned back in his seat, nodding and holding her gaze as she rambled, enjoying how open she suddenly became at the mention of the children.  “They don’t judge, they’re not waiting to see you mess up.”

“Are you afraid of being judged?” He asked, silencing the bitter voice inside of his head.

“Ummm.. not really.” Anna answered, truthfully.  She didn’t have the time or energy to be all that concerned about other opinions.  Not really, anyway.  “Are you?” She pressed her lips together, her stomach dropping at her slip.  “I’m sorry.. I-”

“Don’t be,” he chuckled, placing a hand on the table in front of her.  “I guess you could say I’ve grown immune to criticism.”

Her heart ached at the meaning and she wanted nothing more than to reach out to him and offer her support.

Harry inhaled sharply, hating the _pity_ that was apparent in her glistening eyes.  “Tell me more about the kids..” He insisted.  “Why do you think that is?”

“What? Not being judgmental?” She paused to shrug when he nodded, her smile trembling.  “I don’t know… I mean, they’re just looking for some comfort and a few laughs to get through their most challenging days.  It’s amazing and truly inspiring to be around them… Even while battling the biggest fight they’ll probably ever have to face in their lives, they still laugh, they still smile and dance and… _play,_ you know?”

“You care deeply for them,” he mused.

“I do… They’re my little birds.”

The awe in her voice was evident as she spoke of them, the _passion_ she felt for her job reflecting his own.  But nothing hit him more in the gut than the way her eyes became misty as she smiled softly, referring to her patients as _her little birds_.  It did things to his chest… _She_ did wild things to him.

“They’re lucky to have you.”

“Oh… thank you. That’s a sweet thing to sa-.”

“Sorry to interrupt.” Paul interjected, nodding apologetically at Harry before turning to the brunette.  “Annalisa, they’re ready for you.”

“Oh,” Anna said in surprise, completely forgetting she was supposed to perform a little number for the event.  “Okay, yeah.. I’ll be there in a minute.  Thanks, Paul.”

The disappointment was clear as day on Harry’s features, Harry unable to deny the strong need to speak to her more… to _know_ more.  When Paul headed back in the direction he came from, their eyes met again.  The connection was there, they both felt it, the attraction crackling in the air, but neither one knew what to make of it.

“I..” Anna started, reluctantly.  “I have to go..”

“Okay.. sure..”

Neither one moved.

“Okay, I really need to go,” she chuckled with him after a moment of silence.

Just before she rose from her seat, Harry ducked down to her level and brought his voice down to a low whisper.  “For the record, you smell lovely.”

Anna held his gaze for a beat longer, his intoxicating scent creating heart palpitations.  “Harry…”

“Ladies and gentlemen.. by popular demand, please give a warm welcome back to the stage for…Miss…Annalisa…Caro!”

Harry smiled encouragingly before joining in on the applause, urging her to go in anticipation of what was to come.  Anna cleared her throat before excusing herself and strode onto the stage on wobbly legs.  Harry was caught off guard as she sat on a bench in front of the grand piano, her fingers immediately hovering over the keys.  Her eyes slid shut and Harry noticed her intake and exhale a few breaths before leaning into the microphone. Instantly, she began playing a romantic melody.

The feelings in his abdomen intensified and he felt the air being knocked out of him.  His phone was vibrating in his pants pocket but he didn’t seem to care, he could only focus on her voice.  She sounded so angelic, her fingers danced over the keys expertly as her voice filled the room, not once opening her eyes to acknowledge the world.  It was as if the world _didn’t_ exist – just the keys and the melody.

_Cause I think I’m gonna write it on the walls of the world_  
_So everyone will know today the love I hold for you_  
_I will write it on the walls of the world_  
_So that the sun won’t fade away the words I say to you_  
_I love you_

—————

Harry couldn’t stop thinking about her well after being retrieved by his protection officers as she finished up the final notes of the beautiful song.  He had never felt such a strong connection with someone with such little time spent with her.  He couldn’t explain it and he didn’t want to. Not now, maybe not ever.

His heart was weary, his mind tired.  He had spent years believing he would find someone that would love him for him, not for his titles or the benefits that came with being with someone like him.  He longed for a love to share his life with.

The rumors were true; Harry had gotten his heart broken before, but that didn’t leave him bitter.  His past relationships had all ended the same way, and really he couldn’t blame his exes.  He knew the negative benefits outweighed the positive, and if the roles were reversed, he wasn’t positive he would be able to grow up in a normal environment then become world known.  He wouldn’t have been able to handle getting hounded by strange men, the whole world criticizing every single choice he made.

Just for once though, Harry wanted to feel **_good enough_**.  He was almost thirty and he wanted a family with a loving wife, a herd of children.  As he grew older, Harry’s faith in that happening for him was waning, he was starting to come to terms that maybe true love just wasn’t in the cards for him.

Maybe he was meant to settle for a marriage of convenience.  Maybe he could learn to love a woman who was more interested in social status than having a marriage based on love and devotion.

Harry sighed heavily.

The starry night sky taunted him, twinkling brightly with hope.  A big sigh slipped past his lips at the sight, his heart heavy as the life outside the windows flashed by.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song credit: The Walls of the World performed by Katie Melua
> 
> Harry's speech credit: Prince Harry! :)


	3. How They Emailed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com  
> To: britarmyhw@yahoo.com
> 
> Prince Charming,
> 
> Thank you for the beautiful flowers. I bet they smell lovely… Do you reckon they are bathed with soap?
> 
> I apologize for the constant interruption the other night. Regardless, I had a great time. And thank you for the sweet words.
> 
> Anna

Stirring the sugar in her coffee on a rainy afternoon, Anna let out a long sigh of relief as she cracked her neck.  It was her first day off in nine days; she was exhausted beyond belief after picking up extra shifts to cover some nurses who had come down with the flu. She had returned in the early morning hours, just before dawn, and caught up on some much needed rest.  But dreams roused her from the restless slumber, and it hadn’t been long before she found herself stumbling into the kitchen for a dose of caffeine.  She peered outside to watch the rain pour down and held onto her mug as she took a cautious sip, a content smile tilting her lips at the comforting pitter patter sound.

Without any warning, her mind went to **him**.

Anna found herself doing this on and off when she was home and sometimes when it was quiet at the hospital, unable to control it.  It had been eleven days since the event and she had yet to hear from Harry.  She almost felt foolish, having believed he would contact her.  She had thought he felt the same connection as she had, even going as far as saying she was confident there would be some type of contact from him.  And _confident_ was not a word in Anna's vocabulary when it came to... boys? Men? Whatever. _Guys._

Anna tried to shrug it off, because although she _was_ disappointed, relief seemed to still wash over her. He was a _soldier_. A risk she wasn’t sure her heart was willing to take.

Shaking away unnecessary thoughts, she blew out a dramatic breath and made her way into the living room, turning her attention to the laptop that rested on the coffee table.  The Skype program instantly came to life after she woke the sleeping machine up, and she smiled brightly when her oldest brother’s husband and one of her dear friends appeared on the screen.

“Helloooo, my darling.” Gabriel grinned, causing her to snort in reply.  He never failed to greet her with his posh – _and very fake_ – British accent.

Anna set her mug down and pulled her curls back into a messy ponytail.  “Hi! Are you ever going to give that up? You realize I’ve been here for years now.”

He dismissed her, gaping at her instead. “What in the _bloody hell_ are you _wearing_?!” Anna glanced down at herself and snickered.  Wearing black boy shorts and an oversized sweater was her normal attire while relaxing at home, Gabe knew this, but it never ceased his brotherly teasing.

“Shut up, fashionista. It’s been a long couple of weeks,” Anna pouted.  Wiggling her toes inside her long knitted socks, a smile curved the roundness of her cheeks.  Her crazy nana had given them to her last Christmas, wrapping them up with a ten dollar bill she had to convert to euros, and Anna recalled the note that had been pinned to keep them together.

_Stockings to keep your big feet warm and money to keep your kitchen stocked with spices._ __Buon Natale._ All my love, Nana_

“Everything okay, love?”

Anna was pulled back from the memory by the concerned lines adorning Gabriel’s forehead.  She was amazed at how quickly he transitioned from mocking her choice of wear to being worried of her well being –albeit it was something she had grown accustomed to, being the only girl in her family resulting in everyone treating her as if she were fragile, she hated it.

“I’m fine; don’t worry about me. I mean it.” She rolled her eyes when his frown never faltered, even with her reassurance.  “Aren’t you going to ask me about the gala? I bet you’re _dying_ to hear-”

Gabe’s face lit up like a Christmas. “The gala! Oh, please, please, _please_ tell me there were two goddesses wearing the same dress.”

Anna giggled. “Not just two… but _three_.”

“No shit! Let’s play who wore it best! We haven’t in _ages_.”

After they gossiped about the fashion and the great cause that were dear to their hearts, the pair shifted the topic to what was happening in Gabe’s life back in New York City.  He talked animatedly about his newly opened restaurant that had raging reviews in the NY most prestige’s magazines. “ _Carrick Marshall said my Filet Mignon was superb! Do you know how hard it is to please that snooty bastard?_ ”

They giggled together, swapped corny jokes at the expense of her brothers when she asked how they were doing, and for the next half hour, Anna felt she was back home with them again.

It was no secret that she missed them immensely.  She hadn’t spoken to them in almost a month now, and after their Skype session ended, Anna felt the pang of guilt in her chest grow with intensity.

The Caros were a loony, over the top bunch – full of annoying habits that never died with age.  But that’s what made them _her family_.  She missed the way her brother Danny would call her his honeybee; the way her brother Luke and his wife Kathie would bicker as if she wasn’t there.  She missed teasing Finn, the middle child out of the five of them, whenever one of his many lady ‘friends’ would answer her call angrily before she could explain she was just his sister.  (Okay, so maybe there was more than one incident where she let them to believe she wasn’t his sister to bust his chops for being such a manwhore.)

Pulling the top of her computer down, Anna’s lips turned down to a frown.  There was that feeling again, swirling around her belly, tears formulating in her eyes.

**Homesickness**.

Doing the only thing she knew to do in an attempt to distract herself from falling back into the deep hole, Anna picked up her guitar that was casually thrown at the end of the couch and strummed a few notes.  While taking the time to tune the instrument, her thoughts ran wild and her throat threatened to close up.

She couldn’t decide which one of her parents she missed the most.

There was her sweet mama who she was convinced was a saint.  Lucille had dedicated her whole adult life to being a military wife and a loving mother, a hero in the eyes of all of her children who adored her; she had been a chef, a maid, a taxi driver for the five of them for years.  And with the amount of times they moved, sometimes several times a year, the short and lively woman was determined to build each new house and each new surroundings as _their home_.

Then there was her courageous daddy.  _Nobody_ loved her like her daddy did.  He was her king, her hero, and the only man she trusted with her heart – a true definition of a daddy’s girl.  Being a marine since he was eighteen years of age, Marco was as strict as one could imagine, but he had been been the only one that never pushed her in any direction.  He believed in her, had undying faith in her, and was the single person she had turned to the day of her brother’s funeral.

After the melancholy song drifted to an end, Anna sighed deeply, choking back the sadness.  Her glossy eyes shifted around the cozy living area, trying to find another distraction – anything that would keep her afloat.  Books were tossed carelessly at the far end corner of the room where the TV was situated.  She looked over to a side table and cringed at the sight of all the DVD box sets of series Kathie had shipped over.  Deciding that was the best way to go about the rest of the day, she got up from her wallowing state and ventured to the kitchenette to work on the popcorn.

——–

Well into that evening, when Anna was engrossed in the middle of the first season of _New Girl_ , the unexpected happened.

The familiar sound of a new message from her email program echoed through the laptop speakers, startling her out of the trance she found herself in whenever she was deep into a series.  She had forgotten to lower the volume and shut the machine down after talking to Gabriel, but even so, she wasn’t really expecting something to come through on her private account this late.

Her first thought was of Kathie, a stay-at-home mom who had a tendency of sending her the updated post on her parenting blog whilst mothering her niece and nephew. She especially contacted her if a few hours had gone by without a single comment from Anna.

Anna wondered how she could find the time to keep the blog alive and active between her obnoxious brother and the two monsters they had created wreaking havoc around the house.

At the first glance at the unfamiliar email address, she didn’t think much of it.  Just when she was about to send the message to spam, something unknown told her to take another look. Immediately, her breathing accelerated in pattern and her stomach flipflopped.

“Oh my god, it’s him. It’s _him_.”

Frantically, she clicked to open the message, desperation and nervousness sparking out of the finger that kept tapping obsessively on the pad.  She let out an inhuman growl from behind her lips when pop up after pop up appeared on the screen – none of them his message.

“Come _o_ _n_ , you son of a..”

Her heart stopped first, then the air rushed out of her lungs; _there_ , right in front of her eyes, was an image of a peach colored rose bouquet, resting in a glass vase.

Anna’s mouth dropped open in shock. It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her.

_**From: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_  
_**To: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_

_Annalisa,_

_Thank you for your involvement with the gala the other night. All of the attendees raved about the well coordinated event. Your support is tremendously appreciated._

_My favorite part? The surprise musical guest. You have a very beautiful voice._

_These reminded me of you.  
_

_Harry_

Oh, he knew what he was doing.  Her panties were most definitely gone – never to return again.  She fought the strong desire to respond with _goodbye panties_ or _please take me now,_ and settled for something a little less mortifying.

_**From: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_  
_**To: britarmyhw@yahoo.com  
**_

_Prince Charming,_

_Thank you for the beautiful flowers. I bet they smell lovely… Do you reckon they are bathed with soap?_

_I apologize for the constant interruption the other night. Regardless, I had a great time. And thank you for the sweet words.  
_

_Anna_

Anna chewed on her bottom lip and counted the minutes it took for his reply to come through, growing impatient once again until the _ding_ echoed from the speakers.

_**From: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_  
_**To: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_

_Peaches,_

_Paul seems to have impeccable timing, the twat.  I’ll be sure to thank him for that next time._

_RE: the flowers. If they do, I bet they don’t smell half as lovely as you. I would have sent them to your flat but I don’t know where that is… and I didn’t want you to think I was some creeper asking Paul for your address.  
_

_I enjoyed our brief time together and I would really like to talk to you again…if that’s alright with you, of course.  
_

_Prince Charming (Ha!)_

Anna giggled as she pounded the keys with her quick response.  She didn’t care how eager she looked, desperate even; he had that effect on her.

_**From: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_  
_**To: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_

_PC (now Prince Creeper),_

_Because sending a photo of flowers to my email address that I do not recall handing to you doesn’t make you a creeper?_

_Peaches (Seriously, no.)_

_**From: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_  
_**To: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_

_Peaches (Seriously, yes)_

_Was that too weird? I scared ya off already, didn’t I? I’ll try to tone down the stalker. Promise.  
_

_PC (I’m not picky, I’ll take either one)_

God, what was he doing to her? The fluttering in her stomach became stronger with every message, as did her self-assurance.  Where did this new confidence come from? She had _never_ been able to talk to a guy so easily before – definitely not one as handsome and important as him.

_**From: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_  
_**To: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_

_Prince Not-so-Charming,_

_Peaches? Really?! You’re already so annoying._

_All joking aside, thank you for the flowers. They really are beautiful and they will brighten my place right up.  Serious question: do they require any special care?_

_Anna._

_**From: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_  
_**To: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_

_Water.  
_

_Prince **Always** -Charming_

Moments later, across town from her, Harry barked out a laugh when her cheeky reply found its way in his inbox. It consisted of a single picture.  A cup of water.

——

The following day, Anna and Harry exchanged emails back and forth, Harry in his office working through a stack of papers that required his attention, and Anna getting to her neglected chores around the apartment.  Their friendship had formed overnight, both falling into easy conversation over the computer.  They had learned about each other, discussing how unlike their upbringing had been.

After Harry had made a brief mention of a late 80’s rock band, the question of the basics rose up, such as her age.

_**From: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_  
_**To: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_

_Irrelevant._

_**From: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_  
_**To: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_

_It is when you call me old!! Spill, Miss Caro.  
_

_**From: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_  
_**To: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_

_GRRRRRRR!! 16th September 1984_

Harry choked on his sip of Coke.

_**From: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_  
_**To: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_

_Look who’s talking, granny. I’m exactly one day older than you. How bizzare.  
_

_Is it ok to say I’m completely stunned by your accurate positioning of the date?_

Anna snorted, jutting her chin out while retorting that he was still older and explaining that she may be from America, but she had lived in the UK long enough to know how anal the Brits got about their formats.

_**From: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_  
_**To: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_

_Ha ha ha ha (please take note of the sarcasm behind that)  
_

_**From: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_  
_**To: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_

_:)  
_

By the end of the day, Harry had learned a great deal of information about the woman in the red dress to know he would not be able to let her slip away.  She was quick to reply, normally causing a red flag to go up for him, but with _her_ he couldn’t stop tapping his pen against the unread forms that lay before him, anxious to see what else would come out of her mouth – or fingertips?

Damn, did she make him laugh – a simple act that he felt like he hadn’t done much of lately, the type that made tears roll down his cheeks, anyway.

_**From: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_  
_**To: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_

_Orlando, Florida holds a special place in my heart._

_**From: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_  
_**To: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_

_When you wish upon a staaar…makes no difference who you aaaare….  
_

_**From: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_  
_**To: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_

_YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT._

_I should probably admit that I haven’t been to the States all that much… not like a military rat as yourself. So tell me, favorite city? Greatest SECOND place on Earth? Cities you’d never go to again? Top ten recommended foods, music, communities?_

_**From: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_  
_**To: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_

_Are you sure you’re ready for this?  
_

_**From: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_  
_**To: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_

_……….yes?…….._

_**From: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_  
_**To: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_

_Okaaaay….give me 10 min  
_

Puzzled, Harry waited…and waited…and waited… Thirteen minutes ticked by by the time his inbox notified him of a new message.  It was well worth the wait.

He doubled clicked on the attachment after his eyes scanned her typed apologies for the delay.  As soon as the PowerPoint presentation took over the full screen, he threw his upper body back and nearly fell out of his chair as he erupted into hysterics.

This woman was something else.

———

The next morning, Harry woke up to the soft morning glow filtering through the windows of his bedroom.  His first thought was to check the laptop that rested beside him on the bed.  After leaving his office, the two had continued conversing through emails when he got home.  He had eaten a late dinner, then slipped under the cool sheets of his bed, all the while keeping a deep conversation about anything and everything with the most fascinating woman to waltz into his life.

Shortly before passing out from exhaustion, they had bid each other a good night, promises to stay in contact not needed to be said aloud.

Harry stretched as the machine powered on, yawning loudly.  When he opened up the email program, he hadn’t expected to see Anna had already beaten him to a good morning message that he had intended to send first.

He couldn’t help but to allow the grin spread wide on his face.

_**From: Annalisa.Caro@gmail.com**_  
_**To: britarmyhw@yahoo.com**_

_Good morning, Captain Wales_

_I hope you slept well. I write to inform you the flowers are on day 3 and happen to still look as gorgeous as ever. It seems the water you recommended so wisely is working. Who knew you were such a genius?_

_Have a great day  
_

_-Anna_

That was the best start to his day – hands down.


	4. How They Text

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did he really just send a winking emoji? How fucking adorable… Anna snorted.
> 
> I think this qualifies as harassment, Wales. Invasion of privacy mean anything to you? -Anna

Anna smiled gently at a parent, having been caught softly humming a new lullaby one of the children had taught her during playtime. The frequent parents she saw around the halls were used to this, knowing she did it without being conscious of it. This time, she hadn’t been caught skipping around like she was a kid herself.

Wishing the older woman a good evening, she approached the nurses station and began stacking the charts she had just completed after the nightly round. Most nights passed by quickly, while others made the twelve hours tedious and never ending. Tonight was definitely the latter.

“How are they looking?” Julia asked from her place in one of the rolling chairs, staring intently at the computer screen while Anna rolled her stiff neck.

“A-okay, so far. Johnny in 355 is a little restless tonight, but staying quiet with the telly on.“

Julia nodded in understanding. She was one of the seniority nurses, a gentle woman who that had trained and befriended Anna right from day one; it was one of the reasons why Anna confided in her when Lily wasn’t available, holding a professional respect for the middle aged woman.

A pleasant stillness filled the corridor, with the occasional clicking from Julia. This was typical for the night crew once it reached the late hours. The group of women and men all worked well together, having become a little work family with the amount of shared moments that consisted of comfortable silence they tended to fall into. Not only that, but there were snickers between all of them while they gossiped, the most recent being when Lily spent the first hour of the night complaining about one of the day nurses snapping her gum in her face during the daily briefing.

Anna loved her job, being in these rather sterile white surrounding walls felt like home to her. It **was** home to her. She spent a good amount of time here. Sure, there were bad days; she had lost patients since becoming a nurse a handful of times, every single one devastating. But nothing warmed her heart than the brave look in their eyes, witnessing such inner strength as they refused to back down, no matter how many setbacks they had to face. She was in absolute _awe_ of the resilience their little souls proved to have.

The adoration was equally reciprocated, by both the patients and their families. They spoke highly of the young nurse, waited in excitement for when she would arrive in the evening. Anna could be found always humming a tune, a hopeful smile glued to her face, never letting her exterior waver in front of them during the rough nights. The kids would hold onto her hand or – if they were well enough – would skip down the hallways towards the play area before bedtime, Anna trailing behind them. She sang to them, danced with them, made funny faces when they had needed humor after a hard day, never once denying them of giggles.

That night, she had made them roar with uncontrollable laughter with her horrendous attempt at a posh British accent.

Albeit loving what she did, it went without saying the nature of the job took a toll on her emotionally and mentally. Reaching with her arms up as high as she could, Anna stretched out her tense muscles that were caused by her hunched posture, trying to forget the sadness that consumed the eight year old’s green eyes as he trained his attention on the telly. It plagued her heart to see him suffer in silence, not once giving in to his pestering mother’s demands to rest his vision for the new bouts of treatments he would endure the next morning. She walked around the desk and placed the charts next to the computer, chasing away the mental picture he left a stamp in her mind.

Sighing, she checked the time and noticed she had gone eighteen minutes into her planned break. “I’m heading to the locker room for a bit. Need anything when I get back?”

“No, thank you dear.”

Anna swung open her locker and grabbed the apple that was in her bag. She had thrown it in carelessly before scurrying out the door hours ago. As she took a seat on the nearby bench, she bit into the piece of fresh fruit, moaning in pleasure at the sweet juice that dribbled down her chin.

Tiredly, she rotated her aching feet and wondered how Harry’s week was going. They hadn’t been in touch for five days, his contact on base being limited; she couldn’t help but miss him already.

Towns over from London, Harry was exhausted but relieved the day was done, his head back on the pillows. He sprawled out on the big bed and hissed, holding onto his right leg as the shooting pain brought extreme discomfort. “Jesus fucking Christ,” he grumbled, his face twisting. Once the pain became an achy throb that he had grown immune to, he let his eyes flutter to finally catch some sleep.

Only sleep didn’t come. He was so damn tired after hours and hours of intense training on base and all he wanted was sleep to overcome him, to let his mind and body rest.

Frustrated, he smacked his hand against the mattress, a growl escaping him. He glanced at the clock and reached for his phone to check his empty inbox once more. He had been doing that every night – hoping she had somehow gotten ahold of his number through their mutual friend. She hadn’t.

Harry turned his phone in his hand, hesitant to bother her at the hospital, but he had been thinking of her all day – hell, even all week. After contemplating for a few moments longer, he shoved his pride to he side and opened up a new message.

Anna had just finished up her snack when she heard the vibration coming from inside her bag. She dug through it, making a mental note to trash some of the loose receipts she had kept. When she managed to find the device and unlock it, she was greeted with two new messages alerts. Rolling her eyes at the one from Finn – “hey call me loser” –, she skipped to the next one, this one more recent from a number she didn’t recognize.

**H: Paging Nurse Peaches**

She almost let the phone drop out of her hands in surprise. Her chest filled with nerves and she swallowed hard, gaping at the message as if it would magically transform into him.

“How did he…”

**A: Creeper 101, lesson two. How did you get my number?**

**H: I have my sources**

**A: Is that so? I never pictured Paul to work as a PI on the side.**

Before she could stop it, the giggle tumbled out of her mouth when she caught sight of his next text.

**H: ;-)**

_Did he really just send a winking emoji? How fucking adorable…_ Anna snorted.

**A: I think this qualifies as harassment, Wales. Invasion of privacy mean anything to you?**

Harry grinned.

**H: You have NO idea, darling**

Anna’s heart sped up at the sweet endearment; he had called her peaches, yes, but never darling. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, her mind preoccupied with overanalyzing his shift in endearments, but she couldn’t help but do so.

_It’s nothing; you’re being stupid. He’s freakin’ BRITISH!_

Her phone buzzed in her hands.

**H: So when can I see you again?**

Anna nibbled the corner of her top lip, unsure on how to reply. A mischievous smile quirked her lips up. She jumped up from the bench, placed the phone on the bench for a few seconds, and began to wipe down the front of her scrubs to rid any creases. Once she fixed the mess of her curls and pulled them into a more secure high ponytail, she reached for her phone again.

Harry nervously bit the side of his cheek, growing worrisome with the lack of a reply. _Was that too soon?_ Placing an arm behind his head, he pursed his lips and gave it the benefit of the doubt.

Shortly after, his heart jumped in his throat when his mobile lit up the dark room, followed by the familiar buzz. He barked a laugh, shaking his head at the selfie she took of herself, her tired eyes popped open dramatically and lips pinched together in a Zoolander fashion.

**H: Well, hello there Nurse. Looking mighty fine at this late hour.**

**A: Have you aged all of a sudden? ‘looking mighty fine’ lol You’re cute.**

If they were on a voice call, she would be able to hear the smug grin in his voice and he would have heard the pounding of her heart.

**H: Cute? Meh ok I’ll take cute for now. Want to know something sort of humorous? I own that same bunny character you have on your scrubs, but mine is on a tie. Who’s the creeper now?**

**A: You. Always you. :-)**

**H: HAHAHA nice. You look stunning BTW**

**A: Always the charmer too, I see… even at a late hour.**

**H: What can I say, it just comes naturally. ;-)**

**A: Impressive**

**H: I was hoping you would say that**

**A: What are you doing up anyway? Don’t old guys become grouchy without at least ten hours of shut eye?**

**H: Shut eye? Who has aged now? AND QUIT BRUSING MY EGO!!!**

**A: Ouch, already a grouch**

Anna burst into laughter when she received his picture message. He wore a grumpy expression, brows furrowed, lips in a pout with the caption _“make it up to me?”_ attached. She could think of many naughty ways she wanted to make it up to him.

**A: What do you have in mind?**

Harry groaned. That was a dangerous question to ask him right now. For one, it was late and the only remedy for his insomnia was usually a nice and _hard_ release. Two, it had been a while since he had sex. A _long_ while.

Without any self-control, he let the erotic images flash across his mind. Images of _her_. Her flushed, sweaty body writhing underneath him. Her hips rolling on top of him, her breasts naked for his viewing pleasure. Her hands gripping the sheets until her knuckles were white, his tongue working fiercely between her legs. _Her._

Harry felt himself harden. Another groan escaped, this one pleasured, as he palmed his erection over the thin layer of his boxerbriefs. His breaths came out in short, quick pants, and a gasp sounded out when he slipped a hand inside to squeeze his fully erect cock.

More images found their way to him. This time, fantasy Anna sashying her ass in the air while her pretty lips wrapped around his cock.

 _Fuuuuuuck._ His phone vibrated on his chest, startling him out of the fantasy. Unable to stop himself, his hand squeezed twice more, before he released the tight grip on his cock.

**A: Are you there?**

_After a few more pumps, I will be._

His finger hovered over ‘send’, but common sense slammed into him. Shaking his head, he tapped backspace, then replaced the words with a firm **H: I need to see you.**

Anna smacked her lips together. With shaky hands, she replied back with one word; one word that held so much meaning.

**A: Okay.**

——-

Anna hurriedly pushed her way back into the locker room hours later, running late. She had a meeting with Paul about organizing another charity event and didn’t have enough time to go home to grab a shower. Lifting her arm, she took a whiff and shrugged, then reached for the emergency deodorant she kept in her locker.

She had planned to leave right when six am rolled around, but when Kendra – a three year old girl with the biggest brown eyes – held onto her hand tighter just as she was about to wish her luck, she knew she couldn’t leave. Not without hearing the test results Kendra and her distraught mother were waiting for.

And so, she sat in the uncomfortable chair near her patient’s bed and held her delicate hand while her mother sat opposite her, doing the same. The trio waited on bated breaths for the news.

It had come two hours later. Right when Anna was in the middle of trying to explain what it was like growing up with a twin brother, Dr. Richards strolled in the hospital room. He wore a bright smile, and the three girls were gifted the sweet release of happy laughter.

Kendra, after six months of treatment after treatment, was officially in remission.

Anna had stayed with her and her single mother for another hour, celebrating with them. She had stepped out for just a bit to grab three cups of apple juice from the snack bar one floor below them. They had toasted to good health, had sung _we are the champions_ , and had eaten a sweet in honor of the newly healthy pre-schooler.

Hanging up her stethoscope, Anna smiled at the memory. Then she quickly changed out of her bunny scrubs, pulled on a pair of casual jeans and tank top that was deemed appropriate for the rare humid day, and slipped her feet into the flats she kept for times like these. Once she gave herself a quick lookover at the compact mirror that hung on the inside of the locker door, applied some eye cream to temporarily cure the sleep deprived lines, and fixed her disheveled hair, she grabbed her jean jacket and bolted out of the locker room.

She cursed after a quick glance at her watch, the time glaring at her in reminder she was _really_ late and probably wouldn’t make it on time. Minutes later, she sat at the back of the cab and reached for her purse to text Paul about her delay. Just as her fingertips felt the hard, cold device at the bottom of her purse, the car jerked forward and the horn startled her. _Fuck a duck._

“Sorry, Miss,” came the thick foreign accent from the drivers seat. “Traffic.”

Anna cursed under breath.

 _I’m already late!_ She wanted to shout at no one in particular.

Remembering she had been in the middle of contacting Paul before the cab had slammed on the breaks, she plucked her mobile out of her bag. A text greeted her before she got too far, notifying her it had been sent two hours prior. _Harry. Eeeep!_ Anna’s eyes flitted to the taxi driver, paranoid he would somehow turn into one of those mindreaders she watched a programme on some time ago. When she confirmed he wasn’t paying any attention to her, his eyes fixated on the brake lights in front of him, she turned her attention back to his message.

**H: Good morning beautiful. I hope your night was pleasant. Are we still on for tonight?**

**A: Morning! Absolutely. Is 6 okay?**

Harry’s reply came through a minute later.

**H: Sounds good. Pizza and a film?**

**A: Perfect. How was your night?**

**H: Short =(  
**

Anna didn’t mean to giggle, covering her mouth to stifle the sounds with the back of her hand, but she couldn’t take him seriously when he backed up his messages with emojis.

**A: Poor baby. Sure you don’t want to call it an early night? We can reschedule for another time. Tomorrow, maybe?**

**H: Shit are you trying to stand me up already?**

**A: Hey! Technically YOU would be the one to stand me up…you are coming to my place after all.**

**H: Huh I guess you’re right peaches. No, tonight is good.**

**A: Promise?**

**H: Pinky swear. What are you up to until then?**

**A: Late to a meeting with Paul**

**H: Late? You are in BIG trouble**

Anna chuckled.

**A: Not as much trouble as Paul is for giving away my email AND phone number. He’s going to get an earful today.**

**H: Don’t forget to scold him for interrupting the other night.**

Anna was surprised when the taxi driver announced the payment due, taking a peek out the window and catching a glimpse of the eatery. She handed over her dues and rushed out the cab, forgetting about the light conversation as she continued to power walk inside the small and intimate cafe.

An hour and a half later she walked back out the door, feeling good about being in charge of another event, this time mainly focusing on one of her greatest passions of all time; music.

She didn’t notice the missed text message until much later that afternoon, too ecstatic as she threw herself into creating a list of possible bands and/or artists to contact.

**H: Good luck at the meeting. Hope it all goes well. Can’t wait to see you later.**

And she couldn’t either.


	5. How They First Hang Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anna bit her lip. The material of his shirt was doing nothing to conceal his body heat, distracting her and invading her most private thoughts. His lips were taunting her, shining from the buttery snack, evoking a hunger in her belly that was desperate to be fed. She wanted to lick his haunting lips, wanted to catch the small crumb that stuck to the corner of his lip. She wanted to feel more, tempted to let her legs fall open and pull his full weight on top of her.

Anna took a deep breath, hand paused on the doorknob before she swung it open.

_“Oh, fuck me.”_

Harry stood there with the largest smug grin, still dressed in his camouflage and a duffel bag over his shoulder. Anna could do nothing but stare openly. It had been weeks since their first face-to-face meeting, and she had been attracted to him then, but for some reason, he was so much more handsome than she remembered. Maybe it was the casual attire she now saw him in, or maybe it was the fact that they had had the chance to flirt over emails and texts. Whatever it was, it was enough to distract her from almost missing the single rose he held in one hand; _a peach rose_.

Harry raised his brows and allowed his twinkling eyes to roam over her figure, pleased to see she opted for tight black jeans and a fitted short sleeved top that was cut low enough for him to appreciate the sinful tease. “Well, the filthy mouth on you is a nice discovery.”

_Shit._ Anna covered her mouth, beyond mortified.

All morning, she had given herself a pep talk while cleaning up the place, trying to calm the nerves and define exactly what this was. They were just friends. Two adults hanging out. Nothing more. Sure, it was totally acceptable to overstep the boundary with a little innocent flirting… but _that. was. it._

She couldn’t let him know just how much she thought about him ever since… well, ever since she had laid eyes on him. And she _definitely_ couldn’t let him know she had thought about what it would be like to kiss him _._ She was a woman, after all. But... well, now he knew, all thanks to her lack of filter. 

“A little eager, are we, peaches?” Harry could not help himself; she looked cute, standing there with panic etched across her pretty face, soulful eyes wide as saucers _,_ and he wanted to have a little fun with it. 

Anna’s cheeks were already tinted pink from embarrassment, but the flash of Harry pinning her against the door turned the blush to crimson. 

The suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows jolted her back. Pulling herself together, she cleared her dry throat and rolled her eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

Harry tipped his head back. “Ha! You’ve done a pretty good job at flattery, love.”

_She wanted to die._ “Yeah, well..” The man standing feet behind Harry caught her eye.

Harry shifted his weight from foot to foot and pulled the knapsack higher on his shoulder. This was always the uncomfortable, embarrassing part of trying to get to know someone: attempting to keep the fact he had a constant shadow  _not weird_ for the other person. Tossing his head back towards the direction of the suit, he said rather awkwardly, “Erm…do you mind if Dave takes a…quick look ‘round?”

Sensing his discomfort, Anna paid the same treatment the jerk had given her earlier. Revenge, her old friend. With a quirked brow, she sassed, “Why, are you some big shot or something?”

He smirked. “Or something.”

She stepped aside to let the man in with a light laugh, avoiding Harry until they got the okay and he was allowed to move into her flat.

Upon entering, Harry set his bag on the hardwood floor near the door and surveyed the space. He wouldn’t deny he was surprised by how lived in it appeared, albeit aware she had been residing in London for quite some time now, but he was familiar with the grueling hours of a well established nurse, especially a dedicated caregiver such as Anna.

The floor dimensions weren’t exactly enormous; it was spacious enough for her, that was for sure. It was fairly open, the kitchenette and living area being separated by a single breakfast bar that was considerably bare, a single fruit bowl being the only decor. The cream colored walls gave a warm, homey feeling, which Harry really liked. “Very nice,” he whistled between his lips, studying the plasma TV that the furniture pointed to.

“What?” Anna asked, voice wavering. She was anxious having him in her home -- awaiting his approval. She followed the direction of his gaze, then chuckled. “Oh, the TV? Yeah, I admit it was the first splurge after the move.”

“A very expensive splurge, indeed. Is it HD?”

“Yep. I figured if I was going to go all out, might as well make a good dent on the credit card. Go big or go home, right?”

Harry agreed in a soft hum, continuing his look around while Anna stood to the side, watching his expression carefully. Everything looked so tidy and neat, books and DVDs that were once thrown carelessly on the floor or table were now organized in the built in shelves. If he had to guess how many DVDs she owned by the looks of it, he would have to guess a figure in the hundreds. _How could she possibly find the time for that?_

Harry could sense her nervousness and he caught a glimpse of her tugging her loose curls behind her ears from the corner of his eye. Feeling a bit foolish and rude, he turned towards her and smiled. When she flashed him a trembling smile of her own, his stomach flip flopped. Finally, after weeks of not seeing her in the flesh,  _there she was_. And, to him, she was more beautiful in the relaxed environment.

There was a shyness in the air, neither one of them knowing how to rid the awkwardness that had settled between them. They were normally talkative, able to hold conversation through emails like they had known each other all their lives. But now? It felt very different. More vulnerable. Exposed.

Harry was the first to break the long stretch of silence. “Hi,” he said softly, using the front of his boot to gently knock against her wedges.

“Hi,” Anna giggled, returning the foot bump, then shoved her unsteady hands in her pockets. “I, um, just ordered the pizza; should be here in about 30 minutes.”

He didn’t know if she was intentionally lowering her voice to sound sultry, especially since what she was saying wasn’t classified as anything sexy, but at the sound of her whispery voice, his mind instantly went back to her unfiltered reaction when she first opened the door.

_Fuck yes he wanted to fuck her_. He wanted to fuck her so hard, make her sore for days, and claim her as his – only his. And now, seeing her soft features, her amber colored eyes consumed with heat – lust for _him_ –, he couldn’t prevent the image that consumed every corner of his mind of her writhing underneath him, moaning for him, _coming apart for him_.

_God, he wanted her._

Swallowing hard, Harry tried to calm himself before he completely embarrassed himself, knowing he had very little control of the way his body was reacting to her penetrating gaze. Inhaling deeply, he responded, “Sounds great.”

Anna wanted to groan in sexual frustration when his hoarse voice that was laced with patent lust. His adam’s apple was bobbing up and down and his tongue poked out to sweep across his dry lips in the most sinful way, and she ached at the thought of what his mouth could do to her.

Friends.

Just friends.

Two mature adults.

(Who desperately needed a good lay, apparently.)

Pressing her lips together, she cleared her throat, then gestured towards the plush couch. “Would you, uh, like to sit or..”

“Actually,“ Harry answered, cocking his head to the side, a smile teasing at the corners of his lips, “I would like to change into more comfortable clothes if you don’t mind?”

Anna waved her hand, a little too violently. “Oh, no! No, not at all!  Let me show you to the bathroom.”

After shutting the bathroom door behind him, Harry let out a long, shaky breath, unaware Anna was doing the same on the other side. Pathetically, he kind of missed her presence already. She gave off a glowing, warm aura, and even though his heart rate spiked whenever her eyes met his, a tranquility filled his chest, just being around her.

“Ugh, really, Wales?” He muttered, rolling his eyes at how sappy he sounded. “Don’t be pussy-whipped this early.”

After quickly changing into jeans and a plain t-shirt, Harry stepped back out into the hall. He noticed the two doors further down and was tempted to take a peek, wondering which one was her bedroom. Deciding not to be creepy – more than he already had – he made his way back to the appropriate area.

He found Anna standing by of the microwave, the popping sounds coming from it as she made popcorn. She was facing the TV with a remote in her hand and he saw her quick intake of breath when she shifted her eyes to him.

Anna’s heart beat accelerated at the sight of him in casual clothes, his muscled arms and chest visible by the shirt that delectably clung to him. He smiled at her openly checking him out. “See something you like, love?”

Her cheeks were flaming; second time that night that she had been caught ogling him. Letting out a nervous laugh, she shrugged her shoulders. “No use in hiding it.”

And then, he threw her for a loop, and winked at her. And her knees grew weak.

_Friends! Just. Friends._

Anna sat next to Harry on the love seat, bowl of popcorn nestled in the spot between them. She pressed play on the remote and leaned back while Harry instinctively scooted closer to her. They both reached in at the same time, their hands touching, then chuckled, gesturing for the other to go first.

Smacking her lips together, Anna laughed through her nose. “Okay, seriously, why are we acting like nervous idiots? It’s not like we're strangers.”

Harry ran his tongue across his bottom lip and smirked. “Nervous? Am I making you nervous, peaches?”

She rolled her eyes and tossed popcorn at him, smacking him in the chest. “Shut it, Wales; you’re nervous, too.”

He reached over and poked her side with a pout. “Nah, more troubled than nervous.”

Her ears perked up. “Troubled? Why?”

_Because he wanted to kiss her; he had been waiting to touch her lips, to devour her mouth since the first time he saw her in that red dress weeks ago. But…_

_…should they? Would that be okay? Would she be okay with what that meant? She had voiced her attraction to him already, but was that all she was after? He didn’t think so, but how could he know for sure? And, besides that, being with him wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Dating a prince was no fairytale._

When he didn’t answer, Anna’s brain began to work furiously, overanalyzing the single word that could mean so much. _Troubled._ Troubled over what exactly? Troubled being here with her?

Gazing intently at him, Harry’s attention flicked down to her tantalizing lips, and _that_ simple action was all Anna needed. _Wanting her was troubling him_. Her lips twitched, her stomach dipped, and her breaths came out in pants. If he was troubled, then color her conflicted. 

Not knowing what to say, not ready yet to match his troubled with her own synonym, Anna grabbed another handful of popcorn and tossed it at his head. She giggled at the shocked sight of him, eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

“Annalisa Caro.“

“Yeeeees?” She grinned.

“Are you being a brat?”

Anna should have known better than to start a war with him, especially after growing up with vengeful brothers, and regret found its way to her the second she recognized the glint in his eye, the look of sweet revenge. Before she could react, Harry grabbed the bowl of popcorn and quickly dumped it over her head.

Dead. Silence.

Anna blinked, staring right through him, dumbfounded.

Harry stared back, emotionless, as long seconds ticked by. Before the hands on the clock could come to a full circle, Harry broke.

Howls of laughter cut through the air, jerking Anna back to life. “Henry. Wales!” She screeched, pieces of white snowing down as she shook her curls.

Amused, Harry clapped his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. “Oh, shit. Oh my god. The look..the look on your…face…”

Anna gathered a handful of popcorn that had pooled on her lap and reached over, bunching his shirt in her fist and pulling it back to shove the weapon inside. Just as she was about to pat his back to crunch the popcorn to his skin, Harry’s reflexes were too quick. She squealed, finding herself being tossed flat on her back and tickled relentlessly.

“Harry, no! Har- ah, stop! Please!” His hot breath fanned on her flushed cheeks, but Anna couldn’t feel it in the middle of the attack.

“Only if you promise to play nice.”

“Promise! Please, stop, I promise!” He didn’t stop completely, his fingers still wiggling against her sides with light pressure, just enough to rouse a few giggles out of her.

Anna sighed in an attempt to control her breaths. She couldn’t recall the last time she had gotten tickled, and definitely not from someone she was attracted to. It felt…good. Fun. Liberating.

And dare she say, sensual.

Suddenly, the room fell silent once more, both becoming conscious of the profound position they were in; Anna flat on her back and Harry half-laying on her trembling form. With a cheeky grin, Harry plucked a few missed pieces of popcorn that were hanging in her dark strands, before popping them into his mouth, chewing loudly.

Anna bit her lip. The material of his shirt was doing nothing to conceal his body heat, distracting her and invading her most private thoughts. His lips were taunting her, shining from the buttery snack, evoking a hunger in her belly that was desperate to be fed. She wanted to lick his haunting lips, wanted to catch the small crumb that stuck to the corner of his lip. She wanted _to feel more_ , tempted to let her legs fall open and pull his full weight on top of her.

As Anna’s chest rose and fell rapidly, Harry’s blue orbs darkened, solely pinned on the teeth that were worrying her bottom lip. She was so, incredibly sexy without even knowing it, driving him mad without meaning to. The swirl in his belly mirrored hers, and his wants and wishes became the same as hers; wanting to bite that full lip of hers, wanting to pull it into his mouth to suck, wanting to watch her lips wrap around his–

_**BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ** _

The obnoxious, disturbing sound of the intercom startled them.

“Pizza’s here,” Anna stated, voice barely above a whisper, taking on that same sultry sound Harry was quickly becoming familiar with.

“Yeah,” he whispered back, noticing the tremor go through her from his hot breath tickling her parted lips.

Neither one moved an inch, savoring the sweet pleasure of hard muscles being molded into soft curves.

_**BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ** _

“I should-” The tiniest gasp slipped past her mouth, Harry’s shift in position making a very known bulge press into her hip, soaking her already wet knickers. “Harry..”

Mistaking the green light for red, Harry begrudgingly lifted his weight off of her, his cheeks a pink tint. “Erm, sorry…yeah..” He sat back on his knees, passing a trembling hand through his hair, looking anywhere and everywhere, avoiding her questioning gaze.

Anna couldn’t suck the air back into her lungs, the sheer disappointment that was consuming the deep blue pools of his eyes stirring up confusion on her end. “Har-”

_**BUZZ BUZZ** **BUZZ**_

Harry cleared his throat, then tipped his head back in the direction of the door. “You should, ah, probably…”

“Oh,” she mouthed, accepting his offered palm that assisted her to get up into a sitting position. “Um…yeah…”

And then the moment was gone, leaving Harry more troubled than ever.

===========================================================

“So, what exactly – thanks – are the rules of this game?” Harry asked in between bites, wiping his greasy mouth with a napkin Anna handed him.

Following the _almost kiss_ incident, the pair were surprisingly able to fall into easy conversation, learning more about the other while they feasted on pizza and beer, the film that played on the telly long forgotten. Intrigued to hear Anna could not only play the piano, but also mastered the skill of strumming the guitar strings. Bummed that she refused to play a number for him, Harry had warned in time, she wouldn’t be able to deny him. Anna had clicked her tongue in mock annoyance, calling him an arrogant asshole, much to his delight. He liked seeing this side of her.

“Well, basically, if someone says anything that resembles a lyric from a song, all you do is sing it. You have to be quick about it, though; especially with how competitive us Caro’s are.”

“Mm. And how long does it go on for? Is there a time set or something?”

Anna laughed, shaking her head. “Nope, it’s still going on; even through texting now that we’re all living in separate cities.“ Wiping her hands clean, she added, “When we first started it, like when I was three or four-”

“Seriously?!”

“Yeah! We’re music fanatics; music is the heart and soul of being a Caro! Anyway, it was just a game my mom invented during a roadtrip to keep us busy. Unfortunately, she would soon regret it ‘cause it ended up causing a ruckus. We’d try to get the other person to say a certain word or phrase from a song…it became way too competitive, and now it’s just never-ending.” Anna paused, then let out a light, fond chuckle, “God, especially with Finn; he’s the most annoying of all those bastards…always trying to take my champ title.”

Deciding his new life mission was to revoke her champ title status, Harry’s mouth curved into a secret smile. Anna continued to ramble, an observation Harry had made very early on; once you got her talking about a subject or topic she was passionate about, there was no shutting her up. But he found it cute, the way she became animated with her hands and speech. It made him smile, made him laugh.

She was something else, for sure.

Once the pizza was consumed and most of the beer depleted, they sat back on their hands on her area rug. Talking. Laughing. Growing closer.

Always interested in hearing more about her military family, Anna gladly shared stories of her upbringing. She informed him how her dad was adamant about his kids knowing what it took to become part of the military, creating obstacles courses for his kids and timing them. That was their idea of fun until they reached their mid-teens and didn’t think it was cool anymore.

“Jesus, sneaking out and cutting class must have been damn near impossible!”

“You would think so, right?! Luke and Finn somehow managed a few freebies. How, I will never know.”

Lifting a brow, he teased, “Oh, did you always get caught red handed?”

Anna chortled. “Ha! _Me_? I never really did much to get in trouble.”

“So you were the perfect angel?”

“Ummm…sorta, I guess. Maybe not perfect, but compared to my brothers, I guess you could say that.”

Harry tapped his now bare feet together. “Huh-” His voice shook, a few chuckles passing through, “-I was a perfect angel, too…” His face twisted when her dry laugh reached his ears. “What?! What’s that laugh for?!”

“’ _I was a perfect angel, too_ ’,” Anna mimicked before cackling. “Now if _that_ isn’t the biggest fucking lie I’ve ever heard-”

“Hey!” He tossed the crumpled napkin at her, frowning when it floated onto his outstretched legs instead. “Bollocks.”

Anna stuck her tongue out. “That’s what you get for lying, Pinocchio.”

Conversation soon shifted to Harry’s upbringing where he recalled boring dinner parties and the memory of his sweet mother salvaging the evening by cracking a naughty joke in the midst of stuffy guests.

“She was definitely a character,” Harry chuckled, misty eyes looking away from Anna’s empathetic gaze. His throat burned, but he mustered a quiet, “-always the life of every party, livening up the dullest evening.”

Anna’s eyes welled up with tears. She couldn’t imagine ever losing her adoring mother, whom had been the same light to her as Harry’s mother had been to him.

“Sounds like she was an amazing mother.”

Harry nodded. “The best….Just, everything about her was amazing, _is_ still amazing.  Her compassion for people…for animals,” his voice cracked and Anna could feel the small crack in her heart as she watched him reminisce someone special to him. “That’s something that I try damn hard to carry on for her. All these charities and organizations that she was most passionate about…they mattered to her, and they matter to _me_. I do it all for her, not for the publicity. It’s all for her.”

Scooting closer, Anna reached over to cover his hand that was resting on his knee with her own, softly speaking to him while keeping her tears at bay. “She would be so proud of you, Harry. She _is_ proud of you; with how you handle yourself, how you keep true to who you are, how hard you work to not just help your charities, but fighting for your own country, as well.“

Harry blinked the tears away, staring directly at the woman that he knew, right then, was going to change his entire world.

“It shows courage, strength,” Anna continued speaking. “And her warmth, her light? Harry, they’re in _you_ and you carry that now, so you know she is _never_ too far.”

A smile tugged at his lips, grateful for the comforting words. “You’re something else, you know that, peaches?”

She smiled shyly, her attention being redirected to their entwined hands. She didn’t know when that had happened, but she was now feeling the butterflies fluttering in her tummy. “Ditto,” she said in an undertone, tightening his grasp.

The familiar shift in the air paralyzed him, but the moment her soft, welcoming smile pointed at him, the fear of rejection vanished. _She feels the same_ , he inwardly rejoiced.

Without thinking, he ducked his head and brought his mouth to press a soft, gentle kiss to their clasped hands. The smile on Anna’s face couldn’t have spread any wider, and the elation that filled him made him feel like he was floating on cloud nine.

“Tell me more about your deployment.” Anna requested, slightly out of the blue.

Unfazed by the randomness that made up this pretty brunette, Harry began sharing some of his not-so-explicit war stories, their fingers never once uncurling.

Anna was captivated by the way he spoke, so earthy and humble. He was funny, constantly saying things to make her laugh, and she discovered hearing _his_ laugh really was the greatest sound she had ever heard, admiring the crinkles that formed around his eyes.

“When I was younger, my father would take us to meet with veterans several times a year. I was always fascinated by the stories they were willing to share,“ she said, her thumb brushing back and forth on his skin. “Do you have any sleepless nights? From what you’ve seen there?”

Harry ignored the thrilling sensations from her simple touch, remaining focused on the current topic. “Sure, of course. Some nights I stay up-” He stopped dead in his tracks when her eyes sparkled and her lips lifted up into a self-satisfied smile, and immediately missed her warmth when she untangled her fingers from his so she could lift both arms in victory.

“ _Some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck, some nights I call it a draw_!”

He narrowed his eyes and said, “Oh-ho! You fucking play dirty, Caro!”

“ _Ohhh, ohhh ohhh ohhh, ohhh ohhh ohhh, oh oh!“  
_

_==========================================================_

By the time Harry had evened up the score, two hours had gone by. Anna’s entire body had shaken with mirth upon discovering Harry knew more Katy Perry and Lady Gaga hits than he did of Run-D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys.

Currently, the room had a soft glow from the lamp that had been switched on when nighttime had fallen. Now, they sat cuddled together on her love seat, this time no bowl of popcorn present. Anna kept trying to steady her choppy breathing pattern, being very conscious of their thighs pressed together and the warm palm he kept on the spot above her knee.

There was no way Harry wasn’t able to recognize the way his touch and close proximity was greatly effecting her.

Harry tried to pay attention to some medical drama she had put on after complaining her sister-in-law wouldn’t stop pestering her about the TV series she still hadn’t yet caught up on. Regrettably, he had popped one in.

“I don’t get it.” He gestured to the screen. “She’s married to the blonde but had a baby with _that_ bloke naturally. So, is she fucking them both?”

Anna chuckled and went on to explain, “Well she used to be with men. Her and Mark are best friends _, but_ hook up out of convenience. She’s married to Arizona now, though, and not fucking around with him. She got pregnant before Arizona… I think? Anyway, yeah, they share custody of the baby. And she used to be married to George until he cheated on her with one of the other doctors. He’s dead now.”

With furrowed brows, Harry shouted, “What kind of shit is this?!”

“This is drama at it’s best!” Anna replied.

“Good God, this is crap.” Harry huffed a laugh when her elbow jabbed his side. He stole a glance in her direction, admiring the offended expression she wore. Soothingly, his hand began to travel, rubbing up and down along her thigh.

“Ah come on, love, you gotta admit this is complete rubbish.”

 “Listen, bucko,  _you_ are complete rubbish.”

Harry let out a hearty laugh, his fingers flexing around her flesh on their own accord. “Is that all you got, Caro? You could benefit from a lesson or two…”

_I can’t think of a proper comeback with you touching me!_ She argued, choosing to keep it to herself.

=========================================================

Anna would have never guessed that she would feel the sting of disappointment when she heard Harry’s long yawn; it meant the night was coming to an end.  “Uh oh, is this when the grouch makes an ugly appearance?”

Harry slapped her jean clad thigh. “Really, grouch _and_ ugly being used in the same sentence to describe me? You wound me, Annalisa.“

“Oh, get over it. You’re a big, strong man, you can handle the abuse.”

Harry’s smile was wider than she had ever seen it before. “Big? Strong?”

She blushed. Damn her big mouth again. _  
_

Before she could respond, he let out another yawn. “Am I boring you? Is that what this is? And you say _I_ wound _you_.”

He chuckled and squeezed her thigh before patting it, then moved to stand. “I’m sorry, love. I really did have a great time; don’t mistaken my old age for boredom.”

Anna walked him to her door where they both stood awkwardly. “I, uh, had a great time, too.”

He smiled in relief, grateful for the admission.  “Yeah?”

She nodded, smiling brightly. “Yeah.”

“Good, cause I’d really love to do this again sometime soon if that’s alright with you?” Anna pressed her lips together, nodding in answer. Harry nodded along with her, playfully pulling at the hem of her blouse. “Can I text you later?”

“Yeah, yeah,” She said, fighting the sadness that crept up when he opened the door. “Absolutely. Sounds great.”

Awkwardly, they both did a funny, little dance, simultaneously shifting side to side in a failed goodbye hug. Laughing at their silliness, Harry grabbed the tops of her arms and pulled her into an embrace. “We’ve gotta work on that,” he said in her ear.

Anna shivered, goosebumps forming on her skin. “Mmhmm..” She sounded stupid, but being wrapped in his arms this way and inhaling his intoxicating scent turned her brain and insides to mush.

After pecking her cheek, Harry pulled away. “Goodnight, peaches.”

“Goodnight, grouch.”

And then, he was gone…and so was she.


	6. How They First Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With one hand resting over the pearl and the other holding her hair to one side, she turned her head to look up at him over her shoulder, her amber eyes immediately seeking his. The air became thick, filled with lust as he stared down at her. His hands lingered on her neck, his soft touch like a whisper on her goosebumped skin. All he had to do was lean slightly further down to touch her lips with his.

Anna frantically unloaded the dishwasher while checking the time. Harry was on his way, not giving her much notice. 

It had been two days since they had hung out for the first time, Harry unable to do much other than text while he was away from the city for a mate's wedding. And text they did. All morning, day, and some of the evening, as well.

That morning as she was stopping at the local market, Harry had sent her what was becoming a ritual  _good morning_ text, before he had asked her what her plans were for the day.  When she told him she was out running errands before her shift at the hospital, he had complained of not having breakfast yet and in dire need of a homecooked meal. She had joked back with, “ _you know how to find me",_ but never had expected him to take her seriously.  
  
**Harry: Eggs sunny side up and buttery pancakes, please. See you in an hour =)**

Anna didn’t notice the other local shoppers giving her a curious look as she stared at her phone in disbelief, her mouth wide open. He had to be pulling her leg, right?

**Harry: Don’t forget the syrup.**

Nope, the bastard was serious.

She scrambled around the store, tossing various ingredients she needed before hurriedly checking out and making her way back home. When she stepped foot through the door, she cursed at the sight of the disorganized flat, pizza boxes and beer bottles forgotten on the table.

The buzzer rang out and she made a dash around, picking up various clothing items and shoving them into a nearby closet. She bit the corner of her lip when Harry’s beaming smile greeted her. Instant butterflies. It was becoming a nuisance, really.

After she invited him in, Dave giving them the go ahead, he situated himself on the stool at the breakfast bar and watched her get breakfast together. Anna had her back turned to him, unaware of his gaze on her, smiling to himself at how adorable she looked mixing the batter. He was trying his hardest to take their relationship slow, to form a stronger friendship first and not rush into things as he so often did. But he felt something with her; something he had never felt before, and the more he saw her, and the more they spoke, the more he wanted to fast forward to... more. 

“You’re stunning.”

She was pouring the batter onto the heated pan, and almost spilled it onto the stove in surprise. She looked over at him and noted his shining eyes. “Why, thank you, Captain. You’re not so bad yourself.”

As they ate the expertly made pancakes, bacon and eggs, they fell into conversation about their plans for the week.  He was back on base and she was going to start brainstorming ideas for the upcoming event. She let him in on some of the ideas she had floating in her head ever since her meeting with Paul and Harry had given her his input.  
Anna thought how nice it felt, sitting in her flat on a Sunday morning having breakfast with him. She had spent so long on her own, eating alone and keeping to herself. She wanted to take care of him; she wanted him to take care of her. 

Harry caught her smiling at him when he looked up from his plate while he chewed loudly on a strip of bacon. He lifted his brows in question and she shook her head. “What?” He persisted.

“Just… thinking.”

“Thinking of how handsome I am?”

She rolled his eyes. “No.”

” _No_?”

“Nope.”

He squinted, then threw the rest of his bacon at her. She gasped as it landed on her mostly eaten pancakes. “Don’t you start this again, Wales. I’m still finding popcorn in between my cushions.”

“Me?! If I recall correctly, you declared a popcorn war.”

She shrugged her shoulders, smiling sweetly at him. “You recall incorrectly. Haven’t we talked about what old age does to a person’s memory?” 

He threw another piece of bacon at her in response and randomly blurted out, “I’m taking you out.”

She looked at him in confusion. "What?"

“Like on a date," he clarified in a nonchalant manner, as if he was talking about the weather forecast.

Anna choked. “Excuse me? Just like that? You think I’m that easy, Wales?”

“Absolutely not, peaches.” He paused before adding, “How does dinner on Thursday sound?”

She laughed, rolling her eyes.  “I don’t know. I may have to reschedule a few dates around to accommodate you.”

“Is that so?” He felt foolish for the pang of jealousy that arose in his chest at her teasing. He knew she didn’t have other dates but the thought of her being out with another man, it made his blood boil.

Anna smiled, noting his reddened features. “Mm, appears so.” She sighed dramatically before adding, “I sure hope Keith won’t mind too much if I move our date to Friday night. Unless,” she paused and appeared to be thinking hard, “do you think our date would be over by 9?”

Harry pulled her to him, her small body rising from her seat and crushing to his. Her teasing ceased, and her hands instinctively went to his broad shoulders. "Oh," she gasped, feeling lightheaded from the rush.

Harry held onto her, his arms looping around her waist. When her fingertips moved to touch the slight bump on his forehead, his eyes fluttered shut. He relished in the warmth of her touch on his skin, her soft caress making its way down to cradle his cheek. His heart was beating out of his chest. 

Anna stood on her tip toes, trying to reach his eye level. She tried her damn hardest not to blink, not wanting to miss a single moment of this. She watched as his chest puffed in and out with his shallow breaths, watched how his rosy cheeks deepened at her touch. And as his hand cupped over hers, his fingers folding around to hold hers in a gentle grip, she watched as his lips leaned in, moving closer and closer until --

***beep beep beep***

The sound of her pager went off.

Harry’s eyes popped open, startled. Her big eyes were still staring at him, confusion etched on her face, unsure as to why he had stopped. She was still in a daze, still caught up in the moment and what almost happened. 

“Is that for you?” His whisper tickled her lips.

“What?” Anna gaped. The beep cut through the air once more, this time the sound clicking in her brain. "Oh! Oh, shit, that's the hospital. Do you mind if I call in?" She reluctantly removed herself from him and grabbed the device from the granite top counter. 

“No, go ahead.”

The moment was lost.

————

On the evening of their date, Harry had arrived ten minutes early and after a brief kiss on each cheek, Anna had rushed back into her flat to finish getting ready while Dave swept through her place.

“I have some sketches for the fundraiser in August if you’re interested on taking a look.” She called out from her bedroom when she heard Dave make his exit and Harry make his entrance, applying the finishing touches of her makeup.

Harry picked up a couple papers that were dispersed on the coffee table. What couldn’t this incredible woman do? “These are great. Your details in the shading are magnificent.”

"Do you draw?"

"Not in a long time," he confessed, missing the weight of a pad and the glide of a pencil against paper.

“My mom is known for her artistic abilities. If she wasn’t so devoted to being a wife and mother, I’m sure she’d go into professional designing, but it’s more of a hobby for her.”

Harry was baffled. She had mentioned it was a musical event, but if she hadn’t, he’d be able to come to that conclusion upon looking at the plans. The stage, the dance floor, even the tables and chairs were illustrated professionally. She had even shaded in the surrounding drapes in color, creating a romantic aura.

“Would you mind? I’m having trouble getting this on.” Harry looked up from the sketches to see her delicate hands carrying a white topaz and pearl necklace. He beckoned her to him and she turned her back to him, shifting her hair to give him better access to her neck. As he worked the clasp, he couldn’t help but think of how domestic it felt, how natural it was helping her with her jewelry, preparing for a night out.

With one hand resting over the pearl and the other holding her hair to one side, Anna turned her head to look up at Harry over her shoulder, her amber eyes immediately seeking his. The air became thick, filled with yearning as he stared down at her. His hands lingered on her neck, his soft touch like a whisper on her goosebumped skin. All he had to do was lean slightly further down to touch her lips with his.  
_  
Please kiss me, please kiss me, please kiss me_. She could see the glint in Harry’s eyes as if he had heard her inner pleading. His lips moved closer, and her eyes fluttered this time, waiting for the inevitable touch of his kiss.

Just as the slightest brush of his lips could find hers, a shrill noise disturbed the heated atmosphere, causing both to jump back and adding distance between them.

Harry cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck as he took two steps back from her. The high-pitched noise persisted and Anna, cheeks blazing, reached for her annoying cellphone to silence it. She mumbled a weak apology, clearly embarrassed, and answered the call. 

“Yes?” Her answer was curt, irritation laced in her voice.

“Hey honeybee, what are you up to?”

If Anna could reach into the phone and strangle her brother, she would. “I’m about to go to dinner. What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing. Just checking in.” Yes, she definitely would have strangled him. “Everything okay?”

“Yes.”

“Who are you dining with tonight?”

She glanced over at Harry, finding him running his hands through his fiery locks. She groaned inwardly. She had been so close to having her fingers in his hair. “Just a friend.”

Harry's ears perked up but kept his eyes cast down, not wanting to seem rude for listening in on her private conversation.

“A friend? Is this a-” her brother paused for dramatics, “- _male_ friend?”

“That is none of your business, Jackass. Listen, I was heading out when you called, can I call you later?”

“I have every right to know if you are going out with a guy, Annalisa. I am your big brother and this guy needs our approval before you decide to date him. We have to weed out the psychos. Is the fucker there right now?”

“What?! Our little Annalisa has a date?! Is he totally gorg? Send us a pic!”

Anna rolled her eyes at the sound of Gabriel in the background. “I really can’t do this right now, Danny. I’m going out with a friend. I will call you later.”

Danny huffed, “I’m telling Dad.”

“And I’m hanging up.”

She ended the call before he could finish his threat. She loved her brothers immensely, but their overbearing tendencies drove her mad. She thought moving to the other side of the ocean would tame it, but it only made it worse. They hated the idea of her being out on her own, she was their baby sister, the only girl in the family, and they had this need to make sure she was dating the right guy—if they even let her date at all.

“Brothers, am I right.”

Harry chuckled. “Trust me, I know. I feel like Wills life goal is to drive me nuts sometimes, but I swear when I poke fun at his balding, he turns into this raging drama queen.” Anna laughed. “Ready to go?”

“Absolutely.” She grabbed her bag and keys and they both headed out of her flat into the night.

They made it through the hour and a half drive to The Bear in comfortable conversation on what it had been like moving to the city from another country for Annalisa.

Her family had settled down in New York, the last place her father had been stationed before retiring. But, currently, just Daniel and Gabe lived in the city; Gabe ran his new restaurant as owner and head chef, while Danny ran a successful law firm. Her parents had moved to Boston, where her dad was originally from, to take care of her grandmother.

“Luke and Kathie moved with them back to Boston. My mother couldn't stand the thought of being away from the grandkids and since Luke works for some nationwide construction company, the transfer and move was a no brainer.”

“They have two kids, right?”

“Yeah, Sarah’s seven and Benny’s nine. Benny’s constantly getting gum in Sarah’s hair for fun and Sarah has a tendency of being too rough with the boys in school; it drives Kathie crazy.”

Harry had no issue with sharing the terror he was as a child, and the prankster he grew up to be in his teenage years. All things he hoped to share when he became a new, first time uncle in a few weeks.

When they arrived at the pub, Anna immediately took note of how cozy the environment was. It was a tiny place, with an appreciative wood interior. Anna fell in love with it, more so when Harry pointed out a collection of ties that were pinned up on the wall, all from the regulars and non-regulars.

Anna made note to come back and bring her own to pin up, almost like it would be her way of gifting the pub owner a five-star review, a stamp of approval.

They sat across each other at the farthest booth, tucked away from the other diners, while Edward, Harry’s other PO that had switched off with Dave for the evening, sat nearby. Harry ordered the Grizzly Burger and smothered his fries with ketchup, disgusting her. Anna ordered the Cajun Chicken Burger and was pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was, savoring each bite and swatting Harry’s hands away from her onion rings. He ended up stealing a couple with much protest from her.

“Listen, Captain.  I’m not afraid to stab you with this fork.”

“I would watch where you’re directing your threats.” He pointed at Edward.

“He’s got nothing on me.” He laughed at her, shaking his head. She noticed the laugh lines around his eyes, loving that small detail about him. “What’s so funny? You don’t think I’m tough enough to take him?”

He leaned forward, his elbows on the table and lowered his voice, “Sweetheart, you know I’d bet all my pounds on you.”

“That’s a lot of pounds, Prince Charming.” He shrugged, stealing another onion ring from her plate. “You little sneak! You totally distracted me.” He stuck his tongue out at her. “You are such a child. Why did I cancel on Keith again?” She busted out laughing when he narrowed his darkened eyes at her.

“Watch yourself, peaches.”

“Yeah? Or what?”

He averted his eyes, anxiously looking behind her. Anna turned quickly in her seat but didn’t see anything out of the norm. When she directed her attention back on Harry, he was chomping on more of her onion rings. She plucked a piece of lettuce from her sandwich and whipped it at his head, giggling as it slid down his face from his forehead to the floor with a _splat!_

“You are such a brat. You’re going to get us kicked out.”

“Quit stealing my food!”

“Sharing is caring, Annalisa.”

She reached over and stabbed a few french fries from his plate before shoving them into her mouth, cringing at the sogginess from the ketchup.

“Hey!”

“Sharing is caring, Henry.”

—

Later that night, after taking a stroll in the private garden the pub had to offer, Harry walked Anna to her flat, with Edward ten steps behind them. They stopped at her door, both clearly not ready to end the night.

Harry was having an inner war with himself, unsure of whether he should kiss her or not. He could sense Anna’s uneasiness as she kept glancing back at his PO who was standing off to the side, making the decision for him.  “Would you like to come in for some tea?”

He really wanted to but he had a busy day ahead of him, filled with meetings. “I’d love to but it’s getting late and I do need to head back to prepare for tomorrow.”

She nodded in understanding, and reluctantly, they bid each other a goodnight, pecking cheeks.

Anna was disappointed. Another chance not taken.

———

It had been a week later when they got to meet up again, busy schedules limiting their time together. Regardless, texts and phone calls were made on the daily, and long late night conversations had become their thing. Still, it didn't compare to when they could be within each other's company, sharing smiles and teasing touches.

Anna was reaching into the top cupboard where she kept various spices when she heard the familiar beat vibrating through the speakers. Harry had been leaning on the breakfast bar, scrolling through her iPod playlist while munching on popcorn. The same popcorn she kept picking out of her hair while she cooked them supper.

"I swear you have the shortest attention span than anyone else in the entire universe."

He threw another handful of popcorn at her. "It's not my attention span, sweetheart, it's your poor music selection," Harry corrected.

She turned slightly to peek at him, catching him mid-spin as he started to dance to the new song.

Anna lost it. She hunched over and grabbed onto her sides, laughing so hard that if she had had any milk, it would be dripping out of her nose.

Things got better when Harry placed a hand over his heart and sang to her, dancing across the kitchen to meet her.

“ _I’ve got my eyes on you, you’re everything that I see,_

_I want your hot love and emotion endlessly._

_I can’t get over you, you left your mark on me_.

_'Cause you’re a good girl and you know it._

_You act so different around me,_

_cause you’re a good girl and you know it._

_I know exactly who you could be._ “

Her giggles died down as she watched him look so carefree and childlike. He was grinning at her, his shoulders and feet still rhythmically moving to the beat. He looked ridiculous, and she loved it.

Anna couldn’t remember leaning towards him, her small frame stretching up on her tip toes to his level so she could grab his face with both hands. His eyes bore into hers, his goofy serenading faltering. He held her so close that she could feel his body heat through the material of her yellow sundress, and his breath mingled with hers. Harry's heart was galloping; he could feel hers beat just as strong.

With their noses touching, Harry whisper-sang, “ _I think there’s something, baby, I think there’s something, baby_.” 

Harry's fingers curled tighter around her waist, invading more of her space with her permission. Anna moaned when his lips finally caressed over hers, soft and gentle at first, testing the waters. Just a sweet, little brush. Until her fingers slid home in his hair and she went all in for it. He kissed her back just as fiercely as she gave it, just as hungry and needy. She was the one to deepen the kiss, and Harry groaned deep in his throat at the feel of her tugging at his hair, her tongue teasing his mouth open. 

It had been worth the wait, the aggravation, the damn suspense. And as they spent majority of the night exploring each other's mouths, greedy for more, more, more... hope was ignited.


	7. How They Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She rested her head back on the soft bath pillow, sighing and taking in the clean flowery scent of the candles that burned brightly in the dimmed room. The steam covered the air, creating a sense of tranquility as she recalled the intimate moments from the past month..

To say Anna was irritated was an understatement as she tried to relax, soaking in the tub that was filled with bubbles.  She had spent hours being interrogated by her family after dodging their calls for weeks, sending them a few simple emails instead to ease their minds.  She cursed Danny’s big mouth for getting them on her case.

She rested her head back on the soft bath pillow, sighing and taking in the clean flowery scent of the candles that burned brightly in the dimmed room.  The steam covered the air, creating a sense of tranquility as she recalled the intimate moments from the past month..

——  
_She took a swig from the bottle, the bitter taste of the amber liquid burning the back of her throat.  She passed it over to Harry who drank it down expertly.  He handed her the white controller before raising his brows playfully at her.  “Ready to get your arse kicked, Caro?”_

_“You underestimate my game skills, Wales.”_

_“I’d like to point out that I know a thing or two about rugby, being British and all.  And these,” he wiggled his thumbs, “were created to play XBOX.” He took another shot straight from the bottle and then picked up his own controller, laughing as she bumped his shoulder with hers._

_“Quit your yapping and start the damn game.”_

_“You Americans, so touchy..”_

_After playing for nearly two hours, Harry huffed in mock frustration as Anna repeatedly tapped on the buttons.  He was losing._

_“Oh, oh! You’re going down, Wales! Ha!”_

_She was cheating, he was convinced.  She kept biting that damn lip, kept sweeping her tongue across her lips, distracting him.  Harry didn’t like to lose; some would say he was a sore loser.  But when she brought her bottom lip into her mouth and sucked as she scored yet another point, he threw his controller to the side and admitted defeat._

_“Oh fuck it.” He brought his mouth to hers, Anna laughing at first from his outburst but recovered quickly as his tongue snaked past her lips.  She moaned at the contact and grabbed onto his broad shoulders, kissing him back feverishly.  He cradled the back of her head with his hand, laying her body down to the rug of her living area and moving over her.  Anna loved the protected feeling of when his body covered hers._

_She couldn’t be in more awe of Harry and the unspoken conversation of waiting until they were both ready to take things between them further.  She knew he was interested in a serious relationship after he had revealed how he was ready to settle down soon and start a family during one of their late night calls.  But he never pushed her._

_When she felt his hips press closer to hers, she let out a gasp and groaned.  “Harry..”_

_Harry felt his control slipping, his need for her taking over his mind.  He knew he had to stop, had to pull away from her before he reached the point of no return.  They weren’t ready for that yet.  But his mouth hungrily took hers, over and over._  
_It was when he felt her legs fall open to allow him in between that something clicked and he reluctantly tore his mouth from hers.  “Fuck, are you okay?” He panted against her swollen lips._

_She bent her knees and trapped his body there to stay.  His eyes darkened.  “Anna,” he warned and pushed himself to sit upright, away from her trembling body._

_“Sorry, sorry.”_

_Harry felt awful at her embarrassed expression.  “No, love.  It’s not that I don’t want to.  I very much want you.  I fucking want you desperately.  But we’re not there yet.” He leaned towards her and gave her a chaste kiss and whispered a promise of soon before standing up, needing some space before he lost control again._

_“And just so you know, peaches, I let you win.”_

_Anna gasped in horror before yelling out, “bullshit! I demand a rematch.”_

—-  
_They spent the following evening lounged on her sofa, Anna’s shoulder resting on part of Harry’s and his arm curled around her.  His fingertips were caressing her arms, creating shivers every so often.  She was driving him crazy with her arm casually over his leg, her hand cupping his knee.  He was having a difficult time concentrating on the thriller she had popped in her player earlier.  Harry kept squeezing her to him whenever she’d tense up at the suspenseful music or jump at the startling scenes.  Occassionally, she’d bury her face in his chest, creating light laughter from him as he’d soothe her, rubbing her back and shoulders._

_They couldn’t get enough of one another._

_At some point during the climax of the film, Harry had found himself with his back on her sofa and Anna laying on him.  She was rubbing his chest, his muscles flexing underneath her fingertips every so often.  He was staring down at the top of her turned head and willed his body to not react in the most obvious way._

_After what seemed like hours, his heart fluttered when she placed her lips on his chest and looked up at him with soft eyes.  It didn’t take long before she was reaching up to kiss him affectionately.  Harry adjusted their positions so they were laying on their sides and facing each other, their lips never parting.  He felt his head spin when she swung her leg over his and kissed him more deeply._

——  
_“It was honestly one of the worst blind dates I’ve ever experienced and the reason why you will never find me at an Olive Garden again.”_

_Harry raised his fork to his mouth and paused to laugh.  “Give the bloke some credit, love.  He was probably nervous as fuck that he got paired up with a stunning date.”_

_Anna crinkled her nose.  “Stunning? Hardly.  I was 16 years old with thick glasses cause I was too petrified to poke my eye out with contacts.”_

_Harry shoveled more pasta in his mouth, chewing loudly.  “Sexy.”_

_“Yeah, I’m sure he thought the spinach stuck in my braces was attractive.” He choked at the image and burst into laughter.  “Are you laughing at me right now?” She couldn’t keep a straight face, giggling as she remembered her awkward self years ago._

_After they finished up the home cooked supper, Harry had begun yawning but didn’t want to end their time together so soon.  She suggested a nap and he obliged, taking her with him to the couch and laying down, her body tucked against his, her back to his front.  Shortly after, they were both soundly asleep, his arms protectively around her small body._

_When Anna awoke an hour later, she felt warm all over.  She peered at his peaceful face, still dead to the world and wanted nothing more to spend the rest of the night cuddled up close to him.  She looked down at their entwined legs and rubbed her foot on his, smiling softly at how adorable and sexy he was barefoot._

_She sighed when she checked the time on the clock that hung on her wall and carefully untangled herself away from him, grabbing a blanket and draping it over him.  Her shift was in just a little over an hour and she still had to get ready._

_Picking up the empty beer bottles that were discarded on the coffee table, she stumbled forward and knocked one over.  “Fuck a duck.”_

_“Quack quack.” Anna let out a startled yelp and whipped around to face Harry.  His eyes were squinting at her, a half smile gracing his features._

_“Shit, you fucking scared me.” Her hand covered her still pounding chest before chuckling at how silly she felt._

_“Sorry, love.  Couldn’t resist.” He slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes.  He glanced at his watch and felt the disappointment creep in._

_Harry watched as Anna brought the bottles over to the sink and peered out the small window.  “It’s raining pretty hard out there so you can just chill here until morning.”_

_Harry actually enjoyed that idea.  He was exhausted after hours of studying to pass his flight missions that were taking place in a matter of days.  He also wanted to spend as much time as he could with her before he would get busy on base._  
_“I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”_

_She made her way over to him and placed a sweet kiss on his head before resuming the clean up she had started.  “You know you’re always welcome to stay.”_

_He grabbed his phone.  “I’ll text Edward to drive you to the hospital.”_

_“You don’t have to do that.  I can take a cab instead of walking over tonight.” He didn’t respond, nor did he discard the message he had started to send his protection officer that waited outside.  “Make yourself at home.  Whatever you do, do not go through my underwear.”_

_Harry laughed and winked in her direction.  “I won’t make any promises.”_

_The next morning, Anna dragged her sore feet through the front door, noting the tinted jeep still parked outside her building.  She stopped in her tracks before covering her mouth with both hands and bursting into uncontrollable giggles._

_Harry was singing horribly loud over the sound of the shower._

_——-_

**Congratulations!**

_The chocolate frosted cake was the first thing Harry noticed when he walked through her door.  She wore a satisfied grin, stunning in a worn pair of jeans and a simple t-shirt with_ Coldplay _sprawled across her chest.  “Commander.” She saluted him._

_He brought his hands up to cup her cheeks and leaned down to give her a kiss._

_“Mm, thank you.” He licked his lips to taste the familiar flavored lipgloss that lingered and winked at her.  “Peaches.”_

_Her cheeks flushed.  “Congratulations.  There is no one that deserves this promotion more than you.  You’ve earned this.” Her hands smoothed down his white button shirt and he caught her hands in his own, touched by her praise._

_“Wanna dance with me?”_

_She looked at him curiously.  “With no music?”_

_“Why not? We are celebrating my awesomeness.” He spun her once, then twice before catching her in his embrace as she laughed._

_“I’m impressed.”_

_“Impressed? You’ve seen nothing yet.  I’ve got moves, baby.” He dipped her suddenly and grinned at her arched brows.  “You could say that_ I’ve got the mooooves like Jagger _.”_

_He was easily taking her champ status and she knew it.  “I’ve created a monster.”_

_He straightened them and his hand sneaked down to rest at the top of her ass, making Anna boldly push her body up on his as they swayed together._

_———_

_Anna stood on her tiptoes and peeked over Harry’s shoulder as he was bent at the waist, icing the freshly baked cupcakes.  “They’d freak if they knew you were the one that helped me bake these for them.” He had happily agreed on helping her bake three dozen cupcakes to celebrate a couple of her patients’ birthdays._

_“I’m a nice guy, I know this.  Everyone loves the Hazza.” He wore the pink apron proudly after much teasing from her ever since he put it on when he arrived.  She smacked his ass and moved over to stand next to him.  Desire pooled in her stomach when she caught him licking his lips, leaving the tip of his tongue peeking through as he concentrated on the task._

_How did he make something so innocent look so damn sexy?_

_The sound of the timer went off and interrupted her thoughts, alerting them of the last batch.  She hurriedly put on the oven mitts and slid them out of the oven, placing them gently on the stove top._

_“Want to inspect my masterpiece?” Anna bit her lip as his lowered voice tickled her ear._

_Her heart stopped when she looked over and saw four cupcakes lined up on her counter.  Four words were iced on messily.  Four words that held a question with such weight._

**Will You Be Mine**

_She looked at his shining eyes, her mouth slightly open and felt the tears well up._

_Anna reached for two cupcakes that still needed decorating and turned away from him so he wouldn’t see what she was doing.  Harry waited patiently, his heart beating out of his chest.  She glanced over her shoulder and smiled before turning back to him and handing him her answer._

**I’m Yours**

—-

Anna smiled at the heartwarming memory of when they became official.  Harry was her boyfriend; she was his girlfriend.  She never had experienced being in an adult relationship before but it felt so gratifying to belong to someone, to have someone belong to her.

Her phone buzzed on the side of the tub and Harry’s handsome face lit up the screen.  She quickly swiped to answer.

“Hey baby, just thinking of you.”

“Naughty thoughts, I hope.”

“Always.” She giggled before adding, “how’s your day going?”

“It’s,” he paused, “exhausting, to be honest.  How are you doing, love?”  
She let him in on how she had survived talking to her family and Harry joked that her day sounded more stressful than his.

“What’s your guilty pleasure?”

“Pardon?” She smiled at the confusion in his voice.

“Spice girls? Telenovelas? The Notebook?”

“Jesus, peaches.  Your randomness gives me whiplash.”

“You love it.”

He really did.  He took a breath and thought hard. Anna let out a giggle, sharing an inside joke of how she could hear the wheels turning in his head.

“What’s so funny?”

She took another sip from her half empty glass. “Just anxiously awaiting your answer.”

He sighed dramatically. “Alright, you have me.” Then he added in a high pitched voice, “ _You complete me.  You had me at hello, you had me at hello_.”

“Oh my fucking god. Did you just quote Jerry McGuire? Tom Cruise? Really, Captain? That’s very American.”

She laughed loudly, the water splashing as she shifted her legs.  Harry’s breath caught in his throat at the sound. “Annalisa,” his voice lowered, “are you in the bath?”

She stretched her foot up, toeing the faucet and biting her lip. “Maybe.”

Harry groaned. “Fuck, are there bubbles?”

“There may be bubbles, yes.”

“Christ, woman.  What are you trying to do to me?” He threaded his fingers in his hair, tugging gently in sexual frustration.  It had been too long, way too long.

Harry was quiet for a long while, listening to her quickened intake of breaths, starting to pant himself at the need to touch her, to feel her around him. “I miss you.” Her sultry whisper did him in.  His eyes frantically swept the area, finding no one in sight before he moved into the restroom area that he shared with three other guys on base.

Anna could guess he was on the move when she heard his uncontrolled breathing and the sound of a door being shut.  “Harry…”

“I miss you too, love.  I don’t have much time.”

She quirked an eyebrow. “For..?” Her heart pounded loudly when she heard the spray of a shower clearly from his end of the line.

“I wanna be wet with you.”

Fuck.

He got under the stream of water, carefully avoiding getting his head wet with his phone attached to his ear.

She was nervous, unsure of what to do.  She had never done anything remotely close to phone sex before.  Fuck, she had never even sexted before.

“I wish I was in that tub with you. Help you relax.”

“How would you do that?” She innocently asked after gulping down the rest of the wine. But he knew it was anything but innocent.

“Have I mentioned I give incredible massages? Rub your shoulders, get rid of the tension from your day.”

Anna closed her eyes, letting his husky voice surround her. “Mm sounds lovely.”

“And after your muscles were loosened enough, I’d make my way down your arms to wrap back around my neck.”

“I love having my fingers in your hair.” She could almost feel the softness of his locks and it only intensified the ache in her core.

*****Mature******

“I’d love to have my fingers in you.”

Anna gasped at his bold confession. “Shit, Harry.”

“Do something for me?” His voice was strained and Anna imagined it was from him gripping his growing erection. She chewed on her lip, ready to combust at the image.  “Anna?”

“Yes, anything.”

“I want you to touch yourself for me.  Pretend it’s my hand on your skin.  Start from your collarbone and follow my direction.” She moaned at the anticipation, lifting the hand that had been in the warm water and let her fingertips tickle her collarbone like he instructed. “Are you?”

“Yes.” Harry licked his lips, tightening his hold on his hard cock before starting a slow up and down motion.

“Follow the path down between those perfect breasts of yours, pinching each nipple on your way down to your stomach.”

“Mm, I need you.”

“I’m right here baby. I’m right here with you. I have my hands on you, rubbing your thighs, my fingers brushing over where I want them to be the most.”

“Please, please,” she pleaded, teasing the wetness between her legs.

“Are you wet for me?”

“Mm, so wet.”

He groaned and banged his head on the shower wall, the spray pounding on his back as he stroked himself faster, swiping his thumb over the tip.

“Touch it for me, rubbing your fingers up and down, pinching your clit.  Fuck, slide them inside your sweet pussy for me, baby.”

“Oh, Harry.” She gasped out, his voice adding on to the sensations she was feeling.

He was ready to explode at her soft moans, ready to let go of the pent up tension he had been feeling ever since he met her.  He could hear her movements, the water soundly splashing over the tub helping his imagination.

His voice was coming out in between small gasps as he worked himself into a frenzy. “Let it come, love.  Keep pounding them in, curling them.  Rub your clit and imagine my mouth lapping up your sweet juices.”

Anna screamed out, all the tension in her body being released out in her loud moans of his name.  Harry grunted and pumped his cock several more times before choking on a sob as he found his own release.  Neither of them spoke for several minutes, both panting into one another’s ear.

****EM******

Harry swallowed, his mouth dry and let out a chuckle. “Why, Annalisa Caro. I do believe you have become quite the pleasure that I am guilty of pursuing.”

“Right back at ya, Captain.”

“So listen, I was thinking about trying something different this week.”

He was nervous and that intrigued her.  “Yeah? What did you have in mind?”

“Well, you’ve cooked for me and shared your home with me.” He took a breath.  “I wanted to do the same for you.”

Anna’s eyes widened in surprise.  “You mean like.. me going to Kensington Palace?”

“To my home, yes.” The silence on the other end only made Harry’s nerves increase.  “If you’re not ready for that-”

“Harry, I’d love to.”

“Yeah?” He sighed in relief in the smile he could hear in her soft whisper.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll have Dave pick you up at 6pm.”

They chatted for a few more minutes, Harry still in the shower and Anna in the now lukewarm bath.  He had asked her what her guilty pleasure was and when she responded with country music, he smirked and called her lame.

“Wales!” The pounding on his door startled both of them.

“Shit, I gotta go, love.”

When they hung up after promises of seeing each other later that week, Anna’s heart rate slowed down to its normal beat, but her body still tingled from the intense release.  She had never felt that satisfied before.  She could only imagine what it would be like when he was actually there with her, sending her into complete bliss.


	8. How They First Make Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I want this. I want you. Please, Henry.” She stood suddenly, her hand out for him to take. And he did. He couldn’t deny her, not with her bright eyes staring into his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mature chapter

Fuck!

The wind was picking up, the rain pitter pattering against the window and echoing in the room. Anna cursed when she realized she only had a half hour before a car would be there to take her to Harry for the evening.

She was extremely anxious, stopping once in awhile to control her breathing before a panic attack could take over. They hadn’t discussed details of her visit to Kensington Palace until the day before. Harry had heard of the storm and not wanting to cancel on their date night, he had suggested she spend the night. Anna was quick to agree and Harry had stated he had a guest bedroom that she could use.

But she didn’t plan on using his spare room. No, she planned on using his bedroom—with him. She was ready to take their relationship to the next level. She had hoped Harry was, too.

It didn’t take long before the possibility of rejection crept up on her. She had decided if he did, she would put her bashfulness aside and take matters into her own hands. She was completely single for so long, and she had only been intimate with one man, years ago. She felt connected to Harry, she wanted to feel even more connected to him.

She went straight to the shopping bag that was in the corner of her closet. On a whim, she had purchased a negligee for herself months ago when she had felt a little down, the loneliness eating at her. She needed a pick me up, something to make her feel sexy that screamed she was an empowered woman.

Shit, she wanted to feel sexy, she wanted to feel like an empowered woman. So on a day off months ago, she had stepped inside the expensive lingerie shop and after spending a good amount of time —and money— she had chosen a red lace piece. It had been in the back of her closet ever since—never worn.

Her stomach twisted with anxiety as she peeked at it then shoved it in the overnight sack that consisted of her toiletries and a couple outfits. She had changed several times before deciding on a summery skirt (blushing at the thought of easy access) and a light blouse.

She almost yelped out in surprise when the buzzer announced the arrival of the car that would take her to him. She scrambled around, stumbling over dirty laundry and making a mental note not to forget her umbrella.

——

The heavy door creaked open, revealing an exasperated Harry. He smiled brightly, eyes traveling to spot her overnight bag and the excitement of what was to come overtaking his features. He stepped aside to allow her to enter and shrug off her coat. He took it from her hands, along with her umbrella and dropped them carelessly on a nearby table. Harry pulled her to him, lifting her up with one arm around her waist and catching her by surprise, the sound of her bag plopping to the floor. “Oh!”

“Hi,” he whispered, lustful eyes peering down at her.

Her amber eyes softened, arms around his broad shoulders. “Hello.” She puckered up her lips, prompting a chuckle from him before he obliged, pecking her lips a couple times before settling her sandal clad feet back on solid ground.

“Oh, I brought you something.” He was curiously watching her as she bent to dig around in her bag before revealing a shirt.

Oscar the grouch.

He laughed, shaking his head and beckoned her to him to place more affectionate kisses on her shiny peach colored lips.

“Would you like some wine?”

“Please.”

She followed him from the open foyer to the kitchen. Anna was hit with a peculiar scent of smoke as soon as he swung the door open and was met with a soft haze that lingered in the air. He turned to her with a sheepish grin, red-faced. “I guess secret’s out. I can’t cook.”

She cocked her head to the side, “So there is something you can’t do.”

“That’s just one of many things, unfortunately, love.” Anna wrinkled her nose at his words, not caring for when he would ridicule himself in the most subtle way. He thought she didn’t notice, but she did.

“I seriously doubt that, Captain.”

She made her way over to the sink as he popped open a bottle of wine and pulled two glasses from a rack. Anna laughed to herself when she saw the pots that were thrown in, the foul smell bothering her nose. They were filled with water but the dark residue at the bottom was very much visible. There was no saving them.

Harry poured the sparkling white liquid into the equally expensive clear glasses. He turned to hand over her drink and cleared his throat after her thanks. “It was supposed to be mac and cheese. I got the directions from my cousin, Zara. She said it was easy but,” he shrugged.

She hid her amusement behind her wine glass and sipped. “Mm,”’ she savored the sweet taste. “Shall we order then?”

He smirked. “Ah, there is always a plan b when I’m in charge of supper.” He gestured to the small table that was set for two in a hidden corner, the two place settings covered. She wasn’t sure how she had missed that at first, especially with the two candle sticks burning bright in between. Her eyes found his watching her intently as she gave him a questioning look. “If the smoke is too bothersome, we can move into the living area.” But at the shake of her head, they both moved to take their seating, Harry pulling her chair out like a gentleman.

“Should I be worried? Prepare myself for this?” He stuck his tongue out at her joke as she tapped on the fancy tray handle.

On the count of three, they uncovered their meals simultaneously and she let out a hearty laugh, tossing her head back. He had made grilled cheeses and heated up tomato soup from the can.

“Bon apetite.” Her giggles were infectious, laughter filling the usually empty kitchen.

—-

Anna could feel the heat on her flushed skin, slightly buzzed from the three glasses of wine she had consumed as she leaned back in her chair, hands resting on her stomach. “Compliments to the chef.” Harry caught the quick glance to the sink and saw the glint in her eyes before she burst into giggles again.

“You’re cut off. No more wine for you.” He reached over and took the glass from her place then downed the rest of it in one gulp. She protested but after almost slipping off the side of her chair from laughing so hard, she gave up the fight.

He stood and coughed “lightweight” behind his fist before helping her up and moving into the living area where they sat on the soft rug, Anna swatting his arm the entire time.

Anna sighed at the warm fuzzy feelings she felt being with him in his own space, looking around and appreciating his large plasma TV as she slipped off her sandals to get more comfortable. Harry pressed a couple buttons on a remote and the surround sound system started playing music she hadn’t heard of, some local indie band he was familiar with.

“Fancy a card game, my peach?” Anna lifted her eyebrows. My peach? He chuckled, shuffling the stack of cards expertly. “Maybe I’m a little buzzed..”

Fifteen minutes had gone by by the time they were in the middle of a card game with Anna poorly losing and Harry enjoying having the upper hand.

“Bah, I don’t get this!” She threw her small stack of cards on the antique coffee table.

Harry raised his arms. “Sweet victory is mine!”

Anna rolled her eyes and pouted. “You’re cheating. I don’t know how but I know you are.”

He gathered the cards and grinned. “You need to work on your poker face, love. You forget I’ve had my whole existence to perfect mine.”

The mood inside her immediately shifted when his words sunk in. She felt sad. Sad for him, for his family who didn’t have a choice in the matter, being public figures. During one of their late night conversations, Harry had confided in her on what a toll it sometimes took on him and his family and friends, being ripped apart by the press. No matter the good he did, the poor publicity always outshone that.

He noticed the emotion clearly overtaking her features and he felt uneasy. He didn’t want pity, despised it even. He waved the cards around. “Another round?”

“I think I’ve had enough losing for the night.” She weakly joked back. She pressed her lips together, itching to reach out to him and comfort him, shower him with loving kisses.

“Annalisa,” he warned, almost pleading with her. She took a breath and crawled over to him, her now barefeet wiggling into the plush carpeting. With his head tilted to one side, he sat back to see what she was going to do. He didn’t want a pity hug, a sympathizing kiss. “I don’t like pity hugs, Annalisa.”

She got onto his lap, his hands instantly going to her hips as her knees sank into the carpeting on either side of him. She smiled gently at him and moved her hands to bury in his hair. She kissed him once above his brow, then each of his rosy cheeks. She rubbed their noses together, then began a trail of sweet kisses to whisper in his ear. “Make love to me.”

Harry’s grip on her curves tightened at her hushed words, his body tensing when she traced the shell of his ear with the tip of her tongue. He felt the all too familiar stirring in his pants.

“Are you sure? I didn’t ask you to spend the night for this.” She gazed at him incredulously and he quickly added, “I mean I hoped for it but-” Anna shushed him with her fingers before she captured his mouth and he moaned, his tongue snaking inside to explore. She tasted like sweet wine and Harry wanted to drink her up. Their tongues tangled together, as his hands roamed over her figure before stopping to squeeze her ass.

Anna pressed her body further into his, eliciting another sound of approval from him. She scratched her nails on his scalp, their mouths hungry.

“I want this. I want you. Please, Henry.” She stood suddenly, her hand out for him to take. And he did. He couldn’t deny her, not with her bright eyes staring into his. As soon as she helped him up, he picked her up with his arm under her knees, Anna gasping and giggling. “If you take me to that spare room, I swear to god.” Harry’s burst of laughter caused his hold on her to loosen as he stumbled to his bedroom, making her squeal and hold onto him tighter.

Harry placed her gently on his over sized bed and Anna’s first thought was how comfortable it was, her body molding into the mattress. She pressed her lips together and watched as he stood by the bed, lifting his shirt over his head and tossed it across the room, doing the same with his socks. She stopped his hands that were about to rid his trousers, popping the button open and sliding the zipper down with her own trembling hands.

His pants fell to the floor, Anna’s heart pounding loudly. Her eyes were fixated on his perfectly sculpted chest, his taught stomach and the soft hairs that started from his belly button and disappeared behind his black boxers.

Harry patiently waited for her eyes to lock with his, letting her look him over without any humor gracing his features. But when she nervously met his blue orbs, a slow grin formed on his lips and his stomach fluttered when she smiled back at him.

The bed dipped with his weight and Anna shifted to give him space. But he didn’t lay beside her, he didn’t lay over her. He sat back on his heels where her feet were and kept his focus on her. Anna bit her lip when he reached out with his hands and caressed her smooth legs under her skirt and she instinctively bent her knees slightly, falling open to allow him access.

Harry’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of her opening up to him, of her chewing her lip in anticipation of what he would do next, what he would touch next. “Fuck, you don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to feel how soft your skin is.” He broke their eye contact when he leaned to trail wet kisses from below her knee to the top of her thigh, moving over to the other and doing the same.Anna squirmed on the bed, feeling his hot breath getting closer to the most intimate part of her. “How long I’ve been wanting to taste you.” With his arms curled around each of her legs that were resting atop of his shoulders, he nipped at the wetness he found on the lace that covered her. Her hands instantly went to tangle in his hair, gripping tightly to his fiery locks, his head turned to the side and sinking his teeth into the flesh he found there.

Anna gasped in pleasure. “Please,” she begged. She wanted more, needed more.

Harry looked up at her flushed cheeks, his own blazing with desire. “I’m going to taste you now, is that okay, love?”

She couldn’t respond, her mouth dry. She gave a nod of approval and gasped out again when the air hit her as Harry peeled her panties off in one swift motion. She held on to his hair, only the top of his head visible as he gave her a long slow lick.. then another.. and another.

Harry was fueled by the sounds he was creating from her, swirling his tongue around her clit before nudging it with his nose, wanting to hear her moan for him louder. Her legs closed around him, trapping him there as he lapped her juices and sunk two long fingers inside her. She was incredibly aroused as he curled them, his fingertips massaging her inner walls.

Anna was on the brink. She could feel the pressure building with every stroke of his fingers, every swipe of his tongue. “Harry.. oh, Harry.. Harry..” She kept sobbing out his name, curling her toes and tossing her head back as he added a third finger, stretching her further.

“Mm, fucking heavenly.” When his mouth closed around her clit and he gave the slightest suction, Anna came undone. Wave after wave of pleasure coursed through her as she let out a strangled cry that bounced off the surrounding walls.

Harry kissed her thighs as she came down from her high, his eyes on her and his stiff cock throbbing at the sight of her. He had envisioned the way she would look as she succumbed to ecstasy but the true beauty of her left him aching like he had never before.

He crawled up her body and with her help undressed her, removing her skirt and blouse before unhooking her bra. “You’re fucking gorgeous.” His hand immediately went to cover a perfectly rounded breast, kneading her flesh while his mouth paid attention to the other, tracing around her aroused pink tip. She brought her still weak legs up to push his boxers down and Harry kicked them the rest of the way off, choking on a groan when her hand gripped his hard cock to stroke him slowly.

He needed to feel her lips on his, missing the sweet taste of her mouth. He kissed her hotly as she pumped him. “Are you ready for me, love?” She nodded. She hadn’t been intimate with someone for years and she knew pain was inevitable. “Look at me, Anna,” he whispered.

With their eyes locked, Harry nudged at her entrance, slowly sliding inside her wetness. He stopped when he saw the flash of discomfort on her face but Anna shifted, arching her back to allow him to slip further in. When Harry was buried deep, perspiration had already formed on his brow. “Are you okay?” His voice was hoarse and it melted her heart.

“Please, Harry.. Don’t stop.”

Harry kissed her sweetly, his tongue licking her bottom lip before gently sucking it into his mouth. His hips began to move at a steady pace, the pain being replaced by sweet pleasure as he drove into her, hitting a certain spot that made her whimper.

“Oh fuck,” Harry groaned when she met each of his thrusts after a few minutes, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. She was close, so fucking close.

“Harry..” He devoured her mouth, moaning as he felt the familiar tighten in his balls, his hips speeding up, thrusting into her harder. He had to get her there first. He reached between their joined bodies and pressed firmly on her clit.

“Come for me, baby.”

”Oh!” Anna saw stars as she exploded, crying out as Harry pounded into her before finding his own release with a drawn out groan.

He collapsed on her in exhaustion, their glistening bodies holding tightly to another. Their air was filled with their heavy breathing and occasional moans of satisfaction, Anna playing with his damp hair and Harry leaving lazy kisses on her shoulder.

“Did I hurt you?” He wanted to see her expression as she answered him, her emotions always visible on her face but he was too worn out to lift his head.

“That was wonderful.”

He bit into her shoulder. “Just wonderful?”

She giggled. “It was amazing and perfect.”

He smirked and blindly searched for her mouth to kiss her deeply.

Anna awoke hours later, the sound of the rain pouring outside filling the peaceful dark room. Harry’s head lay on her exposed chest, his even breaths confirming he was asleep. She fingered his hair and smiled at the memory of their lovemaking, of how sweet and caring Harry was towards her. How he had suggested another round shortly after the first, and after giving her three more releases, they had fallen into a state of exhaustion and slept entwined.

She was falling hard for him, never experiencing the emotions she felt around him, about him. He was kind, compassionate and incredibly.. funny. She felt cherished with his touch, beautiful under his gaze, and at ease in his embrace.

She cursed to herself when she remembered the lingerie she kept hidden in her bag and vowed to herself that she would make sure Harry would see it sometime before the weekend’s end.

She sighed happily before letting sleep overtake her once again.

——

“Crap!” She winced when she noisily dropped the pot into the filled sink. She had spent a good twenty minutes scrubbing the dishes that had fallen victim to Harry’s cooking attempt. She wasn’t sure if she were able to salvage it, but she had woken up from a dark dream that she couldn’t remember and the need to keep busy drove her to untangle from Harry and quietly tiptoe around the room as she pulled on his boxers and his new  
Oscar the Grouch shirt.

Anna let out a chuckle when she recalled what she had discovered earlier.

She went looking for her overnight bag, wanting to brush her teeth and make herself look presentable before he woke up. She didn’t find it by the door where she had last seen it. Had he moved it when he had gotten up once during the evening to fetch them bottles of water?

Thinking back to the mention of the spare room where she was supposed to stay, she searched around. When she cracked open a door that was the only room she hadn’t been in, she knew this had to be it. But when she flipped the switch to bring light to it, she laughed and shook her head at what she saw. A bed is what she expected to find in a guest bedroom, not the small wooden desk that her bag was neatly placed on that greeted her.

He had planned this. Sneaky bastard.

After taking care of her morning rituals, she made her way to his kitchen. She wanted to make him breakfast but it was still early, the sun hadn’t come up yet, and she wasn’t familiar with where he kept things. When she eyed the sink, she shrugged and decided to give it her best shot.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and she leaned back against his hard chest, melting into his warmth. “Hm, you feel so good,” he whispered, placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

She smiled and wiped her hands on a nearby kitchen towel before she turned in his arms, seeing his cocky grin. “Henry!” Her mouth dropped open in shock.

“Someone stole my clothes.” He quirked an eyebrow, challenging her. “Although, I don’t mind at all.”

Anna stepped slightly back enough to let her eyes rake down his bare body and smirked. “Mm, I do prefer you without them.”

“I bet you do, love.” He leaned down to place gentle kisses on her neck as she wrapped her arms around him, her hand smoothing down his muscled back to tap his bare bottom.

“Ooh, fiesty.”

She giggled then moaned when he dragged his teeth on her overly sensitive skin. “Harry..”

He caressed the skin at the top of her thighs. “Sore?”

“In all the right places.” He smirked against her shoulder and moved his arms around her waist to pull her closer to him.

He guided her backwards and lifted her up effortlessly to place her on the counter top, the dirty dishes forgotten as they got lost in each other again.

———-

They couldn’t keep their hands off one another, kissing and caressing—making love for most of the day and night. Anna whipped up a meal with what he had available, after much interruption from Harry’s busy hands. Harry scarfed it down, Anna looking on in mock horror. But he never commented, wanting to finish as fast as he could so they could go back to his bed.

At one point, during one of their much needed breaks from devouring each other, Anna mentioned how she was going to start getting her citizenship papers in the coming weeks. “It gets to be a hassle renewing the work visa every few months. There’s always complications and I don’t want to worry about it.”

Harry was rubbing her back, her body draped over his. “Do you ever think about moving back to America?”

She paused before answering honestly. “I did at first. I thought I’d build up my nursing resume by spending a couple years in a different country. But it’s been four years and the thought of going back hasn’t crossed my mind in a long time. I always thought wherever Ben was, I’d be right there too. He was my home for the majority of my life.” She kissed his chest before adding, “This is my home now.”

Harry couldn’t stop the thought of wanting to be her home one day from crossing his mind. His feelings for her were definitely growing, no doubt about that. He felt things around her, unexplainable things.

He squeezed her in comfort, hearing the sadness in her voice whenever she’d talk about her twin brother. She didn’t talk about him for long and he knew it was because she was masking the pain. He was all too familiar with that.

—-

Harry’s brows furrowed from the puff of air that blew on his face, rousing him from sleep. “Wake up..”

He moaned when her fingertips tickled a path up his spine before messing up his hair. “Henry, wake up, darling..” He opened one eye and gave her a slow lazy grin.

He shifted in bed and growled in frustration at the sheets that were too tangled and prevented him to sit upright. He heard her laugh and narrowed his eyes in her direction. “Come on, grouch. We only have a couple hours before I have to head back home.”

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, trying to clear his blurred vision at her words. “Are you sure you can’t call in sick? Take a personal day?”

“And say what exactly? I can’t come in because my boyfriend wants to fuck me senseless one more night?”

Her bold words shocked him. She was usually shy when it came to talking about sex. But the stunning woman that sat in his bed dressed in a red nightie was not shy at all, making Harry’s penis wake up instantly.

He peered at her, lust clouding his eyes. “Christ, your boyfriend wants to fuck you senseless every goddamn night.” She screeched when he threw her back on the bed and covered her body with his.


	9. How He Fell For Her

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His heart beat rapidly against his chest at the sound of her boisterous laugh. She was beautiful, fascinating.. enticing. He felt his palms sweat, his heart racing, his insides aching for her; aching for her touch, her flowery scent to fill his senses. For her heart.

He strolled down the corridors, smiling kindly at the hospital personnel that were surprised to see royalty roaming through the halls.  The anticipation of seeing her in her element was killing him.  He knew he was going to get it later when she confronted him for not warning her beforehand, but he couldn’t be away from her any longer, having just spent some time away on a HALO trust charity trip.  He was falling hard for her.“The children use this room to have free play.” Mellie, the head of staff that was giving him a tour, was speaking but he was only half listening, knowing Anna usually spent suppertime in this area of the hospital.  “There are various games they can play, arts and crafts.  Around this time of the evening, most of the children are letting loose before rest hours begin.”

Harry nodded and cracked a joke, getting a laugh from Mellie and the other members of staff that joined them.  “Can we have a look in?”

“Oh yes, absolutely.”

When he stepped foot into the jungle themed playroom, his eyes immediately sought her out.  His heart leapt in his throat, warmth spreading through his being at the sight.  He had felt this emotion numerous times before in the past month or so, several moments flashing to mind…

——-

Harry slipped the key into the lock and turned it, hearing the click as it unlocked for him to creak it open.  He had been standing out in the hall for a good five minutes, knocking loudly.  But the sounds of music playing on the other side could be heard, along with her exuberant voice.

“Sir?” Dave was at his side, pushing the door open.  Harry nodded and stood back in annoyance while his protection officer shuffled into her flat.  He could hear her booming voice clearly now and it piqued his curiosity.

He peered around the door, his eyes following the music.  Anna was twirling around in just a baggy shirt and underwear, dancing in front of her laptop screen.  “You’ve got the right stuff, baby! Love the way you turn me ooon.. _”_

He crossed his arms, keeping it together so he wouldn’t disturb her.  He shifted from foot to foot as his attention was fixated on her.  He was anxious to get to her, to reach out to her and pull her against him to feel her warmth after a hard week on base.  Catching her this way, having a blast to god awful music, made him breathe a sigh of relief and his tense muscles relaxed.  She was a sight for sore eyes.

Anna was oblivious to what was going on just feet away from her as she kept prancing around, belting out every lyric accurately, escaping from a stressful week at hospital.  She let out a giggle and faltered in her step when Gabe started robot dancing through skype.

She went to join him on the ridiculous dance move when she caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure at the corner of her eye. She screamed out in alarm, immediately trying to recall the self defense techniques she had learned from her father when she was a young girl.  She couldn’t hear the music any longer, her heart pounding in her ears.  She turned sharply to get into attack position and was met with Harry’s dumbfounded expression.

“Shit!” She could hear Gabe frantically calling out her name, demanding to know if he should call 911, too out of his mind to realize she was in a different country than him.  She reacted quickly, pulling the top down of her laptop and bringing it up to shield her lack of dress to hide the intruder’s identity.  Dave discreetly slipped out the door, his lips in a thin line as he tried to keep his composure.  She was absolutely mortified and it broke Harry.  He dissolved into hysterics.

Anna’s heart was racing from the exercise and embarrassment.  Harry had just caught her in her underwear singing to New Kids on the Block.  His protection officer had seen her! And.. oh god, Gabe!

Harry’s uncontrollable laughter could be heard over the speakers and Anna’s stomach tightened at the sound.  “Henry.  Wales.  I gave you a key to use for when I wasn’t here!” With squinted eyes, he saw her toss her computer on the couch before stomping over to him.  He stubbed his toe as he tried to get away, tripping over the side of the stool and catching himself before he could fall face first.

_“_ Fuck!”

  
Anna began to repeatedly smack him—his biceps, stomach, chest—anywhere she could reach.  “You can’t just barge in here without any warning! Your bodyguard saw me half naked!”

 

“Okay, okay! I’m sor-sorry!” Anna had eased up on the assault, but as soon as the next words “Dave is used to catching half naked girls around me” came out of his mouth, she jumped on his back and they both tumbled to the floor.

After they composed themselves, Anna jumped up to grab her screeching phone.  Harry sat up as he watched her convince her brother-in-law to call off the police and that she was not being held against her will by a psychopath. 

“…It must’ve been a shadow of a picture frame or something.  Or I’m just losing my marbles… People do too still say that!.. I am not talking like Nana… You take that back, Gabriel Holson-Caro or so help me _… Argh,_ she does not say that either! _”_ She turned to let him see her roll her eyes towards the ceiling.  She made a motion with her hand to gesture a yapping mouth and mouthed ‘blah blah blah’.

Harry brought his forefinger up to his temple and moved it in a circular motion.  His heart beat rapidly against his chest at the sound of her boisterous laugh.  She was beautiful, fascinating.. enticing.  He felt his palms sweat, his heart racing, his insides aching for her; aching for her touch, her flowery scent to fill his senses.  For her heart.

——-

“Sodd off.”

“Fuck off.”

“Tosser.”

“You playin’ with yo’ self.” Anna suppressed a giggle at her silliness as Harry chortled, tightening his arms that were around her sheet covered waist.

He couldn’t remember how they had started a British vs American slang game as they laid in her bed.  With her body laying comfortably on his, she kissed his cheek and threaded her fingers in his hair.

“Knackered.”

She smirked.  “You after shagging me.”

“Hey now, shagging is mine, peaches.”

Anna cursed under her breath.  “Bollocks.” Harry narrowed his eyes and gave her a sour look.  She stuck her tongue out childishly and Harry rolled them over, pressing her into the mattress with his weight.  She stretched her sore muscles and sighed, her body rubbing innocently against his.  Harry groaned and pushed his hips closer to her, Anna slipping her hand under the sheet to grab his bare bottom.  “Cheeky.”

“Ha!” He devoured her mouth, his tongue sliding wetly with hers.  His hand began untangling the covers to expose her heated body to him.  Anna moaned when his hand traveled to her core, feeling how wet she already was.

“Harry…” Her eyes slid shut as she reveled in the sweet pleasure that only he drew from her.

“Mm? Done stealing my words, love?” He teased her clit, fingers sliding easily inside her.

She clutched his strong bicep, her legs parting further to give him better access.  “Blimey, crikey, knickers.” Harry bit her collarbone before soothing it with his tongue, his thumb working slow circles on her bundle of nerves as his buried deep fingers curled.  “Yeeees,” her drawn out moan caused him to lift his head up to take her in.

“So fucking beautiful.” She was moaning and writhing under his hand, clouding his vision with an intense desire.  He burned for her, wanted to bury himself to the hilt in her tight core.  But he loved to watch her come undone, where he found her the most stunning.  “Shit, I love seeing you like this, breaking apart for me.” Her head tossed back, her lips parted as she panted.  He knew she was close, knew by the way she began riding his hand as she chased after the sweet release he wanted to give her.

“Harry.. Oh, please.” Her sounds increased in volume as did the speed of his movements.  “Yes, yes.. Oh, yes..”  
His cock was throbbing with the need to push into her, to fill her up.  “Fuck, come for me, Annalisa.” He rubbed her harder, pushing her over the edge.

“Oh bloody hell!”

Harry choked on a laugh before capturing her lips with his.

———-

“Wow,” he let out a whistle.  She twirled around for him and he growled in appreciation at how the white dress hugged her curves in all the right places.

She giggled, “Yes?”

He moved towards her and cupped her cheeks.  “Oh, yes.  Flawless.”

Anna lit up at the twinkle in his eyes, her face upturned to accept his tender kisses.  “I do have one request before we go.” Her lips twitched as he tore himself from her to pick up the iPod that rested on the breakfast bar beside them.  She quirked a brow at him curiously.

When the familiar sounds of Michael Buble started, she was amused at the thought of Harry picking a song like this.  He held his hand out for her to take, a cheesy grin gracing his features.  She took it and the air left her lungs as he spun her.  He brought her right back to him and she curled her left arm around his while her other small hand was held firmly in his grip.  With his free hand resting gently at the small of her back, she followed his lead as they began swaying and twirling.

There was going to be much dancing before the night’s end.  She had spent several weeks arranging for everything about tonight’s musical event to be perfect, designing every bit of detail from the arena to the musical guests.  Harry had given his input when asked, admiring the way she was able to put everything together in a small amount of time.  She didn’t have much connections, but she sure knew how to work around that.  The evening was originally planned for the end of August but with Harry’s jam packed work schedule, Paul had given her the okay to reschedule to just before his departure to Angola.

He wanted to dance with her.  He wanted to spin her around the ballroom, show to the world that she belonged to him, that he belonged to her.  He wanted to enjoy the success of tonight with her by his side, wanted to kiss and touch her in public.

But no one but a couple trusted friends of his knew about their relationship.  They had hassled him until he gave them information as to why he hadn’t been out with them.  He had given them the poor excuse of work filling his time, but they knew him better; they could always tell when there was a girl involved with Harry’s absence.

She hadn’t yet told her family, never mind her colleagues.  And although Paul had his suspicions that he didn’t dare share with his wife, he never commented or asked either of them.

Dancing with her at a publicized event would have to wait a little longer.  So instead he shared a dance with her in private, before the festivities began.

He brought his mouth to her ear and softly sang the appropriate words, the reason as to why he had chosen this song.  “

…And don’t forget who’s taking you home and in whose arms you’re gonna be.. so darling, save the last dance for me.. _“ He dipped her suddenly, her delighted eyes meeting his._ He licked his lips when she bit hers.

———-

Harry looked over from his laptop where he had spent a good amount of time replying to emails and confirming meetings with his private secretary for his upcoming trip to Angola as Anna sat in the chair across his desk.  He sighed in content, her black rimmed glasses adorning her freshly washed face.  She was nibbling on a piece of buttered toast while engrossed in a romance novel that was recommended by Kathie.  She had been busy splitting her time between shifts at the hospital, preparing the WWTW musical fundraiser, and spending time with Harry that she had neglected the books she had accumulated in her wishlist.

He cocked his head to the side, openly watching her.  She looked adorable with her curls falling freely around her face, occasionally being tugged behind her ear when it blocked her view.  She wore his running shorts and a loose shirt that he found at the bottom of his drawer.

A smile tugged at his lips as he thought of comfortable it felt to be working in his space with her in the room with him.  He would hear a quiet sigh or a light chuckle from her once every few minutes and he’d pause typing to glance at her.

“I can feel your eyes on me, creeper.”

He cleared his throat.  “I don’t have the slightest clue as to what you’re talking about, darling.”

She kept her focus on the tablet as she retorted, “Stalker.”

He snickered.  “You’re loony.”

That made her look up at his teasing smile.  “You’re calling me four eyes in that big head of yours, aren’t you?” She narrowed her eyes at his laugh.  “Henry, I’d think long and hard before answering that.”

“You’re out of this world, Caro.” Anna threw a piece of her toast at him, missing him by a long shot.  “You also throw like a girl.” She whipped another piece at him, the pitch even worse than the previous, landing on the floor.

“You’re gonna have to clean that up.”

She wrinkled her nose.  “Make me.”

He raised his eyebrows.  “Really now? We’re gonna play this game again?”

“Mhm.”

He smacked his hands on the top of his desk to push himself up, flashing a wicked grin.  She squealed and jumped up, sprinting to the door.  Harry stood back as he allowed her a head start to let her believe she was getting a fair shot at outrunning his long legs.

But when he stepped out of the room, he stopped dead in his tracks.  The first article of clothing that was once covering her bottom was thrown carelessly to the ground.  His gray shirt lay two feet away from the shorts.  He looked down the hall and saw the trail she left him; her black bra and lace panties all leading him back to his bedroom.

Fuck.  She was waiting for him in his bed.  Naked.

She stunned him.  She had all the qualities he had always been looking for without realizing it until this very moment.  She was sweet with an enormous heart; he doubted her ever hurting a fly.  She was shy and was easily embarrassed when they first met, blushing constantly in his presence.  But she also kept hidden a flirtatious side that only he got to see.

“Oh, Annalisa Caro.  You are a bad, bad girl.”

He broke out into a jog, shedding his own clothing on his way.

———-

She shoved the remainder of her cranberry scone in her mouth.  “Sexy.” She wrinkled her nose at his sarcastic remark and opened her mouth to let him see the mashed up food.  Harry shook his head, “You are a class act.”

He was exhausted and his leg was slightly throbbing from all the exercise he had done during his Angola visit.  It was nearing the time he was expected to be up, the morning light hidden from blinds he kept shut.  It was the first chance he had gotten since the trip to facetime with her.

She swallowed enough to speak in between bites, “I can be sexy!”

He chuckled, shifting to find a comfortable position on the suite bed.  “Yeah? Let’s see sexy.”

She moved the phone back so she could throw him a sultry look over her shoulder.  “Oh yeah, baby.” She pursed her lips and squinted her eyes.  Harry laughed, “Oh, you’re killing me, peaches.” He loved how comfortable she was with him now, letting him see her many silly faces.

“It’s my best Renee Zellweger impression.” Anna straightened her shoulders before shrugging, crossing her eyes and puffing out her cheeks.  “This is my I-want-your-sex face.”

Harry growled.  “Now that _ _is what I call sexy.”__ He let out another animalistic growl when she chewed her lip, knowing it drove him mad. He was about to ask her to show him some skin when her buzzer rang out. 

She held up a finger, “One sec, my sexy beast.”

Whatever he was going to say was forgotten as he laughed and winked at her.  “Oh my god, Harry!” His smile widened, knowing she had just received his surprise.  Her beaming face appeared on his phone screen again and he felt his insides warm up.  “They’re beautiful, Harry.  Thank you.” She leaned to inhale the scent of the peach roses that now decorated her kitchen.  Anna looked back at him with such adoration in her amber eyes, creating an intense ache in his chest.  “I miss your handsome face.”

He missed her too.  He dreamt about her every single night he was away; naughty dreams that made him wake up in frustration, sweet dreams of just her laugh or of her kind smile.  He was anticipating the day where he could finally have her in his embrace again.

“Miss you too, baby.”

———-

“The children absolutely adore Nurse Anna…”

Harry stopped listening to Mellie, frozen at his spot at the doorway.  His arms rested awkwardly at his sides, his hands balled up into fists.  His fingernails were biting into his palms, he knew, but the only thing he could focus on was the fact that his heart was swelling at the sight of her.

She was in Winnie the Pooh scrubs with purple pants, her curls in a messy bun and a cat-eared headband on top of her head.  She was skipping, jumping around to an upbeat song about wanting to live free like animals in the jungle.  The small children were following her lead, each one giggling as they also wore animal ears.  They copied everything she did, raising their hands with her, waving them side to side and tapping their feet to the beat.  They looked happy, carefree.. healthy despite some pale faces and smoothed skin where their hair once was.

Harry wore his heart on his sleeve, he had always been known for it.  Once he cared for someone, he made sure to cherish it, to protect it as his mother had advised him and his brother.  And that had always caused him heartache in the past.  He was known as a playboy, the party prince.  But what the press didn’t write about was that when he loved someone, he _loved_.

And as he watched her patients sweetly gather their tiny hands, forming a circle around her as the song neared its end, he knew.

He was completely and utterly in love with her.


	10. How She Fell For Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She was struck by an emotion she never thought was possible for her to feel. “Oh my god.” The shampoo bottle slipped through her slippery grasp, crashing to the floor. “Shit..”

The water pressure beat on her back, loosening up her tight muscles after a long shift.  She was bent at the waist with one leg up on the shower seat, the blade of the razor gliding easily on her soaped up skin.  Anna was more conscientious of the hygiene chore after dating Harry, allowing herself extra time daily to get a close shave.  He had commented on how silky smooth her legs always felt while they shared innocent touches or playful caresses in bed.

She carefully shaved the area around her knee and chuckled to herself at the thought of him being horrified if he knew how long she would put it off during the winter months.

Harry.

A permanent smile formed on her lips as she began washing off the soap.  He had surprised her hours ago when he showed up unexpectedly to the hospital.  She was letting loose with the children, enjoying their giggles as they pretended to be free animals in a jungle— at least for a few minutes.

She began to softly hum the upbeat melody.  She tried to be quiet, Harry fast asleep in her bed.  Anna was supposed to be upset with him for showing up without informing her.  When she saw him standing there, an emotion that she couldn’t put her finger on had flashed across his face, brightening up his features.

Then she saw the way he was the kids, hugging them and answering all the nonstop questions   He made them laugh, made them feel at ease.  And as she stood back to the side admiring the scene before her, her heart skipped beats and her stomach had a million butterflies fluttering around.

She couldn’t stay mad at him; not after returning home to find him sprawled out on his stomach in her bed, shirtless.  He was exhausted, she knew.  So she had softly pressed a kiss on his messy locks and tiptoed to shower before she would join him in a short nap.

As she reached for the shampoo bottle, several moments from the past few weeks flashed in her mind…..

————————-

_Anna moaned as the light shone brightly behind her shut eyelids.  She instantly reached for his warmth on his side of the bed and was met with an empty space.  She peeled her tired eyes open, blinking rapidly to focus on the crumpled sheets where he lay tangled in just a couple hours before._

_She checked the time, noting the late hour.  She had slept in, something she rarely did.  The faint sounds of water splashing caught her attention and she gathered up the sheets to cover her naked form before she dragged herself out of the warm bed._

_Her mouth dropped open when he came into view, a towel wrapped tightly low around his waist and the other draped over his broad shoulders. He raised the razor to his face, filling his cheeks with air and expertly dragged the sharp blades across the stubble. He was always careful not to nick his skin, knowing he would not only get shit from his mates and Will, but the press would have a field day with speculation._

_Anna stood there dumbfounded.  How did he always look so goddamn sexy without even trying? She licked her lips, itching to kiss him senseless when his eyes sought hers through the reflection of the mirror above the sink. “Morning, peaches.” He rinsed out the razor before repeating the same motion to the underside of his neck._

_Anna cocked her head to the side, admiring him.  He quirked a brow at her lack of response. “Cat got your tongue?”_

_She bit her bottom lip coyly. “Come back to bed, Henry.”_

_Her groggy voice almost made him forget the task at hand, contemplating leaving half of his scruff behind. “Is someone feeling frisky this morning?”_

_“Possibly.” She smiled seductively at him and shifted closer to snake her arms around him from behind, resting her head on his still damp back from the shower he had grabbed before she awoke.  
_

_“Do I make you horny, baby?”_

_She laughed against his skin at his cheesy Austin Powers impression.  “It’s scary how much you just sounded like him.  And it’s also scary at how turned on that just made me.  What does that say about me?” Harry’s laugh ignited a spark within her._

_She needed him, craved him all the time it seemed.  No matter how many hours they spent being intimate, she couldn’t get enough of him.  And she couldn’t deny that Harry was good at what he did, already familiar with her body and knew how to get her where she wanted to go._

_Placing open mouthed kisses on the barely visible freckles she found along his shoulder blades, she palmed his muscled chest and slowly traveled down to finger the towel._

_“Yeah, baby, yeah.” She untied the knot he had formed and let the towel fall straight to the floor.  Harry’s body was already reacting with the mixture of her sexy voice and the cool air hitting him.  He groaned and dropped his razor in the water when her teeth sunk into his bicep.  ”Fuck, Annalisa.”_

_They locked eyes in the mirror and she became breathless at the yearning he held in his eyes.  He turned quickly and picked her up, her legs instinctively wrapping tight around his waist as he carried her back to bed._

_Some time later, Harry stood by her bed getting dressed in his camouflage.  She glanced at the time and cringed.  “You’re late, Captain Wales.”_

_He looked up at her as he fastened his belt.  “Your fault.”_

_She giggled and shifted in bed, turning on her side and propped on her elbow.  She knew he was going to have to suffer through extra chores when he got to base.  “My commander is not going to be thrilled of your bad influence.”_

_“Oh, please.  You could’ve said no, you weakling.”_

_He winked and flashed her a toothy smile.  He neatly rolled up his sleeves, causing Anna to bite her lip at how fucking sexy he was.  Harry groaned.  “No, no, Anna.  Get that look off of your pretty little face right now.”_

_“What look?”_

_“You know damn well what look.  That look is going to cost me hours of grueling chores.”_

_“Sorry but, am I hearing you complain about getting laid? I’m a little offended right now.”_

_Harry leaned down to hover over her.  He pecked her lips several times and whispered against her mouth.  “So worth it, my sweet.”_

_She went to deepen the kiss, ready for another round, but Harry interrupted her plans when he tore himself from her.  She pouted and he chuckled, apologizing and promising to make it up to her._

_She sighed and rested back on her pillows, Harry sitting at the edge of the bed to pull on his boots.  With her head turned towards him, she watched as he laced up the string, pure affection towards him washing over her.  She felt at home seeing him do such a simple act.  She decided in that moment that getting-ready-Harry was the sexiest Harry she had come to known so far._

 

_———_

_“Okay, now add a pinch of salt.” Harry reached into the top cupboard where she kept her spices and searched for the ingredient.  “It’s behind the hot sauce.“_

_“Good god, woman, you are a spice hoarder.” He shook his head and found what he was looking for.  “I do not believe you’ve ever used every one of them.”_

_“Yes, I have, thank you very much.  I grew up on spicy food.  You English make your food so bland, blah.” She scrunched up her nose for effect, stirring the sauce._

_“Aren’t Mexicans known for spicy food? I thought you were Italian.”_

_“What’s your point?” He bumped her hip with his playfully and she shifted to allow him access to the stove.  He added a small amount of salt in between his pointer finger and thumb, taking the wooden spoon from her to stir the contents.  “A little more.“ He followed her order and added another pinch into the pot.  She took a look inside and told him to add just a tad bit more again._

_“You said a pinch.”_

_“Hey, am I the one that almost burned down a palace? No.  More salt, please.” When he gave her a skeptical look, she picked up the container and added almost a whole teaspoon as he continued to mix._

_He looked at her incredulously.  ”We need to work on your definition of a pinch, love.” Anna narrowed her eyes at him, pinching his arm.  “Ow!”_

_“Oh, you’re such a baby.  That was nothing.  When I was a kid we were forced to go to church every Sunday.  Finn and Ben would always act up and my dad would always have to take them outside so they wouldn’t embarrass my mom.  But if my grandma was in town, she would shut them up with the pinch of death.”_

_Harry chuckled.  ”Pinch of death?”_

_“Yep!” When he raised an eyebrow at her, she knew he was challenging her. “What? You want the pinch of death? You wouldn’t be able to handle it, Wales.”_

_“Shall I remind you I’m a tough man? And I’ve fought in a war? Twice, might I add.”_

_She warned him of the bruise he would wear for days if he really let her do it.  He didn’t believe her.  When she gathered the skin on his arm in between her fingers and twisted in a tight grip, he howled out in pain and surprise.  ”FUCK!” He rubbed the sore spot, glaring at her._

_“I warned you! It’s not called the pinch of death for nothing!”_

_“You’re fucking evil.”_

_She laughed loudly and walked over to the sink to rinse out the shrimp.  She looked over at Harry and caught him peering into the pot, a look of nervousness on his face.  She smiled to herself, noting how sweet he was for asking her to teach him how to whip up a meal.  She knew he wanted to impress her one day by being able to be in charge of supper._

_Her stomach tightened at the realization._

One day.

_———-_

_Anna lay back on the arm of her couch, feet propped up on Harry’s lap while he messed around with her iPod. She was currently watching an episode of Grey’s Anatomy after much teasing from him. “Don’t you want to watch something else that is not medical related?”_

_She retorted back with, “That’s like telling me you don’t watch any war movies.”_

_“That’s different. There’s action. It’s exciting.”_

_“And this has romance and drama.”_

_He rolled his eyes. “You are such a girl.”_

_“You’re such a guy now shut up. This is a Calzona scene.” Harry looked up at the ceiling and muttered “women”, earning a kick._

_He shuffled through her music collection again, occasionally shaking his head at the disbelief of her owning some songs. When he came across a certain song, he chuckled in amusement.  He looked at her from the corner of his eye but her attention was on the TV._

_He pressed play and turned the volume up._

_Anna whipped her head in his direction and lifted an eyebrow. When she saw his playful expression, she knew he was making fun of her._

_“Alright Wales if you can’t appreciate the awesomeness of the Boss, then I need to ask you to leave.”_

_He didn’t answer. Instead, he closed his eyes and sang, “I can take you higher. Oh, oh oh, I’m on fire.”_

_She laughed and shifted, crawling to him.  He stopped singing when she moved to place one knee on either side of him and his hands found home on her backside.  He squeezed her bottom, pushing her closer to him._

_She could already feel the bulge forming in his pants and leaned forward, palming his muscled chest._

_He licked his lips in anticipation. “Hi beautiful.”_

_She stared at his mouth and whispered a quiet_ hi _back. He slouched further down, her center pressing against his hardness. They both moaned in unison when she started a back and forth rocking motion.  His hands moved from her ass to grab her hips tightly, guiding her movements._

_Anna couldn’t grasp her control, the strong desire for him overtaking all of her senses.  She needed to feel him, needed him inside of her._

_“Harry,” she gasped when his ran his hands up her sides to palm her breasts through her blouse. He squeezed them once before reaching the hem to pull it off of her._

_“What do you need, sweetheart?” Anna didn’t waste time as she unclasped her bra and threw it over his head. He instantly took a nipple into his mouth, licking around it to harden it while his other hand pinched the pink tip. She threw her head back, burying her hands in his ginger locks, tugging him incredibly close to her as he continued to work her breasts._

_"Harry, please… I need you.”_

_He trailed kisses up to her collarbone, licking and sucking her flushed skin as he spoke.  ”You’re so fucking stunning.  I want you, Annalisa.” He groaned, “fuck, I want you all the damn time.”_

_The hot, needy desire grew at the sound of his words, the lust in his deep voice.  ”I want you too, baby.”_

_Harry tangled his fingers in her hair and brought her mouth to his, shoving his tongue past her lips.  They kissed passionately, tongues sliding wetly together, fueling their sexual appetite._

_Anna quickly undid the buttons on his shirt and undid his pants, making him moan into her mouth when she freed his aching cock.  She wrapped her hand tightly around him and stroked him slowly.  ”Fuck,” he cursed, tearing his mouth back from hers to drop his head back as she worked him._

_She smirked, loving seeing him react this way to her touch, and swiped the tip of his dick with her thumb to gather the wetness she found there.  She felt empowered and pumped him faster, wanting to make him feel just as good as he made her feel._

_Harry was on the verge of exploding and he quickly grabbed her wrist to halt her movements.  ”Not yet, love.” He helped her to her feet as she tugged her pants and panties off at once before climbing back on his lap. She positioned herself right over his cock and he guided her hips down, watching as she sank onto him, her tight walls swallowing him.  Anna began grinding down to get more of him deep inside her.  “Shit, Anna.. you’re so tight already, baby..”_

_She bit her lip hard.  He felt so fucking good, buried deep within in, filling her up and she knew it wasn’t going to take long to get her there._

_Harry caressed her back and shifted, his dick hitting a sweet spot that made her see fireworks.  She moaned out, her eyes shut tightly. “Oh! Yes, right there.. please..” He shifted his hips again and again, his hip bone rubbing against her clit.  “Henry!”_

_“Fuck me, baby..” Anna moved her hips in a circular motion, reveling in the friction she got on her clit before she lifted up slowly until she reached half way off of him.  Harry’s finger dug into her hips, leaving a mark there when she dropped back down.  Her speed increased with each passing moment, riding him harder and faster.  “That’s it, Annalisa.. Just like that..”_

_Harry knew she was close, could see it in her movements as she moved over him faster, her moans heard over the sounds from the forgotten tv in the background.  His eyes glazed over as he stared at her bouncing breasts, making his balls tighten and his cock grow painfully harder than ever._

_He had been on the brink for awhile now and his control was slipping.  He had to get her there before he exploded.  Harry reached down to rub her clit and her walls tightened around him, her moans increasing.  ”Yes..oh!..”_

_“Come for me..” Anna gasped out when he twisted her throbbing flesh and sent her right over the edge, Harry following._

_She collapsed against him, her face buried in his neck as they both tried catching their breaths._

_Harry tiredly brought his hand back to her, pulling on her loose curls.  ”You cool my desire. Oh, oh, oh I’m on fire.”_

_Anna burst into a fit of giggles._

_———_

_Anna bit her lip, contemplating on stepping away from her laptop before she did something she would regret.  She scanned her flat, rolling her eyes at how spotless it looked.  This downtime was usually spent with Harry but he was away for a few days and she kept herself busy by cleaning or reading.. or watching TV._

_But she had cleaned her entire place from top to bottom.  She had caught up on all the novels she had saved up.  She grew tired of watching mindless shows._

_She missed him desperately._

_“Oh, what the hell.” She opened up her browser and typed in her preferred search engine.  Her hands hovered over the keyboard, suddenly becoming nervous that he may find out what she was about to do.  She looked around again then quickly typed before she could change her mind._

_Several old and recent articles popped up.  She took a big bite out of her cranberry scone and scanned the headlines._

_Prince Harry News, Photos, and Video—ABC News_

_Royal Baby: Harry wants George to ‘Have fun’— Sky News_

_Prince Harry doting uncle to Prince George_

_That one made her smile at how true it was.  She would never forget the day he showed up at her door with a goofy grin, having just spent time with his new nephew.  He joked at how loud baby Georgie was, how he cried constantly and squirmed the whole time he held him.  Anna had teased Harry of how similar he already was with his uncle.  And when he had pulled out his phone to let her see the few shots he got with him, Anna put a hand on her chest at the sight of his chubby cheeks.  “Aw, he’s precious, Harry.”_

_Taking another bite of her breakfast, she clicked on_ images _and her heart skipped a beat.  She stared at each picture, smirking at how handsome he was.  Some photos were taken years ago when he was an awkward teenage boy; those made her giggle.  Then there were ones of him with his late mother, his father, brother and various members of his family she wasn’t that familiar with._

_She felt the pang of jealousy rising in her chest at the few photos of him with a couple of different blondes.  Especially when she realized there were many of him with a certain blonde.  And by the looks of it, they were acquaintances for several years._

_Her phone buzzed, startling her and causing her to shut her laptop guilty.  She perked up at the sight of Harry sending her a facetime request._

_“Hey there, handsome.”_

———

Anna recalled the fond memories and a faint voice sounded in her head, something that used to happen only when her and Ben used their twin connection.

_You’re happy._

It wasn’t a question but an observation and her breath caught in her throat.  Was she happy? Did Harry make her happy?

The immediate answer was _yes._ Yes, he made her incredibly happy.  She hadn’t felt joy in what seemed like ages, and at the same time foreign emotions coursed through her, a gut feeling she couldn’t name.

He made her smile, brought her comfort with just his presence.  He was kind, compassionate, _genuine._ He made her feel special and wanted and.. _sexy_.  And she loved the way he was with kids.  She loved the way he would look at her like she was the only thing that mattered to him in that moment.  She loved the sparkle in his eyes when he made a corny joke or the way he used his hands when he talked passionately about his charities.  She loved.. _everything_ about him.

She was struck by an emotion she never thought was possible for her to feel.  “Oh my god.” The shampoo bottle slipped through her slippery grasp, crashing to the floor.  “Shit..” Her eyes rose to the shower door where she could make out Harry’s form walking into the steamy bathroom.

“Alright in here, love?”

His deep voice only increased the speed of her racing heart.  “Oh, no.”

“Did something fall? I thought I heard—” Harry opened the door and immediately cut off the water at the sight of her trembling body.  “Anna?” Her frightened eyes locked with his.  “Anna? What happened? You alright?”

She shook her head.  If Harry wasn’t so worried he would have teased her of just seeing a ghost with how horrified she looked.  He reached for a towel and wrapped it around her, rubbing his hands on her cold shoulders to warm her up.  “Are you ill?”

Harry was trying to soothe her, the worry etched on his face, making her spiral further out of control.  Her insides burning up and her breathing becoming erratic, her chest rising and falling.  She once thought she had perfected the ability to prevent a panic attack by focusing on the simple act of inhaling and exhaling.  But as she stood there frozen, she forgot how to breathe.

He helped her step out of the shower and gathered her into his arms to provide her with his body heat.  She clung onto him and felt the tears well up, threatening to spill down her pale cheeks.  “Do you want to tell me what’s going on here? Did something happen at work?”

Anna wanted to scream, wanted to pour her heart out to him.  But she couldn’t, the fear of him not feeling the same paralyzing her.  She clung onto his body tighter, a whimper escaping her when he started to comb his fingers through her wet curls.  “You can tell me, love.  What is it?”

_I love you.  I’m in love with you._


	11. How Three Words are Spoken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What are you doing?
> 
> The voice sounded in her head again. She didn’t know how to answer it either. Harry told her he loved her. He said he was in love with her. What the hell was she doing letting her fear take over and ruin something that could finally complete her, something that could finally pick up the pieces of her broken life and put it back together.

Harry’s heart broke when he felt the teardrops fall on his bare skin from her eyes.  She still clung to him tightly, wrapped up in a big fluffy towel.  Her shaking had subsided, he was thankful for that, but she had now begun to cry.

He didn’t know what to do so he just hugged her to him, comfortingly rubbing her back and shoulders.

They stayed that way for twenty minutes longer until Anna got herself together enough to keep the tears at bay and stand on her own without his reassurance.

She didn’t dare look up at him, embarrassment making the color return back to her pale skin.  She saw his wet shoulder and whispered an apology.

He shook his head, taking both of her trembling hands in his.  ”Wanna let me in to what’s going on? I’m all sorts of confused?” She bit her lip.  ”Did something happen to any of the children?”

She shook her head.  ”No, they’re okay.” He squeezed her hands when her voice cracked and moved in closer to hug her once more. She swallowed back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks again.

“You know you can tell me anything, Anna.” He pulled back to look into her kind eyes.  But she wouldn’t meet his. “You know that, right?” Harry lifted her chin up with his fingers so she could bring her focus to him.

“I know.”

Harry was going to wait to tell her his epiphany for a better, more happy time.  But he figured she would need to hear the words.  She would need to have some promise from him to open up to him fully about whatever it was that was currently going on inside that head of hers.

“You can trust me.  I’ll never judge you or do anything to deliberately cause you pain.” He inhaled then let out the breath slowly.  “I love you, Annalisa.“

Anna stared in utter shock at his revelation.  He loved her? She wasn’t expecting him to tell her that, not after she had just made a fool of herself in front of him.

The strong urge to say it back to him was there, she was ready to tell him she loved him too.  But something stopped her.

Fear.

Harry grew more nervous when she didn’t say anything.  Shit, did he just fuck up? Did she not feel the same yet? He was pretty sure before that she did.  Especially when he thought back at the times they spent together and the way she looked at him with such… _love_ in her eyes.

Anna removed her hands from his grasp and stepped back.

“Oh.”

Harry furrowed his brows. “Oh? Anna..” He tried to grasp her hands again but she backed away from him, adjusting the towel that covered her then rubbing the underside of her eyes to remove the evidence of tears.

“I.. I need.. I’m sorry.. I just need to take a nap..”

“A nap? You need to take a nap? Right now?” She nodded weakly.  “Anna, did you hear what I just said? I’m in love with you.“

Panic flashed in her eyes and Harry felt foolish, defeated.  She didn’t feel the same.  He was wrong.

“I’m sorry, Harry.  I can’t right now.  I’m really.. tired.”

He nodded, the confusion and hurt visible. “Okay, yeah..Go.”

She turned to go then stopped short, slightly facing him.  ”Come with me?”

Harry was perplexed but he simply nodded and took her outstretched hand and followed her back to bed.

Uneasy silence surrounded them as they entered her room.  Anna dropped the towel and pulled on a pair of cotton knickers and Harry’s shirt that he had tossed casually to the floor earlier.  Harry stood by the bed awkwardly as he watched her.  It struck him how easily she dressed in his shirt, as if there was no tension between them.

She glanced at him before climbing into the bed, Harry following suit.  When they were both situated, Anna’s back to his front, she reached behind her to wrap his arm around her small frame.  He was utterly confused at the morning’s events.  He had told her he loved her, he had said the three words that he didn’t take lightly only to be rejected.  But was he rejected? She refused to tell him what was wrong, she didn’t respond to his heartfelt confession; she turned him away and now was pulling him back without any explanation.

Harry cuddled up close to her, kissing her damp hair and sighing.  ”Are you okay?” She nodded.  ”Talk to me later?” She nodded again and Harry let it go for the time being.  Anna shifted closer to him, Harry tightening his hold on her.

No other words were said and she drifted off to sleep in pure exhaustion.

_It was unbearably hot.  The air was thick and humid.  She could hear screams, feeling the agonizing pain at the desperate sounds.  She couldn’t make out her surroundings, everything black._

_But it didn’t stop her.  She couldn’t stop.  She had to keep going, had to keep pushing herself to… To what? She didn’t know._

_She heard another crashing noise, more cries and a rush of dust filling her nostrils, suffocating her._

Anna woke with a startled gasp, her eyes popping open.  She quickly looked around, realizing she was in her bed.  Harry’s arm was draped casually around her, his grip loosened with his lack of consciousness.  Her heart was beating out of control, her breaths coming out in pants.  She had been having dark dreams lately, something she hadn’t had since before moving to London.  But they had returned after meeting Harry.  Not at full force but slowly, the dreams became more vivid, and more real.

She had spent hours in therapy, working through the dreams and coming to the conclusion they had to do with Ben and his tragic death.  She didn’t know much of how he died and she tried her hardest to get past that.  During the family get together after his funeral, her cousins had brought up a point that broke her.  They were born together, shouldn’t they have died together? The question plagued her, it ate at her as she desperately tried to come to terms of it all.

At first she had thought the dreams came from their undeniable connection.  Was it Ben guiding her to help her find peace with the tragedy? But after months of weekly therapy sessions, her therapist made the observation: Anna’s subconscious had created scenarios of his death, trying to solve the mystery herself.  But it would remain an unsolved mystery.

Anna maneuvered her way out of Harry’s embrace and slipped out of the room, shutting the door as quietly as she could.  She immediately entered her spare room where she kept her piano—another item she had splurged on— and various guitars.

Sometimes when sleep wouldn’t come, she would spend time in this room, surrounded by the pale white walls and a collage of a hundred pictures that Kathie had done for her as a going away present.  She would pick up her guitar or sit at the piano and just let the music flow out of her.

Anna picked up her acoustic guitar and began strumming the chords effortlessly after tuning it.

_What are you doing?_

The voice sounded in her head again.  She didn’t know how to answer it either. Harry told her he _loved_ her. He said he was _in love_ with her. What the hell was she doing letting her fear take over and ruin something that could finally complete her, something that could finally pick up the pieces of her broken life and put it back together.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft knock.  ”Come in.”

The door opened and Harry cautiously made his presence known.  He had been standing on the other side of the door for a few minutes, listening to her play the strange melody.  She had promised to talk to him and he didn’t know what to expect.  Was this it? Was this the end of them?

“Hi,” She gave him a small smile and he walked further into the small room, taking the seat across from her. “Did I wake you?”

“No.  Please don’t stop on my account.”

She started up the song again from where she left off, a song that she hadn’t thought of in years.  Harry just watched her, leaning back in the recliner as she finished up.  She looked up then at him for the first time since he sat down, their eyes locked in a tense stare.

“I love you.  I do, Harry.  I love you.”

He felt the weight lift off his shoulders at her confession.  ”I love you, Anna.” She got up and placed the guitar on the recliner before walking over to where he sat.  She climbed onto his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He stared up at her, unsure of what to do next.  She looked so small, exhausted and.. sad even.  Anna leaned her forehead against his and slid her eyes shut, soaking up the feeling of just being near to him.  ”I’m scared,” she whispered, her breath tickling his lips.

“What are you scared of?” He rubbed her back, pulling her to him more so she could settle comfortably in his lap.

“Everything.  This.. you, me.. Just, everything.”

His heart ached at her words, wanting nothing more than to give her comforting words.  He opened his mouth to respond but nothing came out.  She looked up at him with fearful eyes that were welling up with tears again.

“Is..is this,” he cleared his throat before gathering up his courage and continuing, “Is this what you want, Anna? To do this with me?”

A small smile tugged at her lips at the nervous expression that was clearly on his face.  She breathed deep and kissed him softly, a tear rolling down her pink cheek.  He thumbed it away, caressing her soft skin back and forth reassuringly.  ”I want to be with you, Harry.”

He breathed a sigh of relief.  ”Yeah?”

She nodded.  ”Yeah.”

“Listen, if this gets to be too much.. all my,” his eyes rolled in mock annoyance, “all my fucking craziness, just let me know, okay? Don’t bottle it up and let it get out of hand.  I will be there for you, I will help you through this.  We can lean on each other, okay?” She smiled, sniffling back the remaining tears.

“Okay, yeah.”

He quirked a brow.  ”Promise?”

Laughing lightly, she cradled his face in her hands and pressed sweet, tender kisses on his mouth, whispering her promise to him.

He swiped his tongue on her bottom lip, pulling it in between his teeth to tug teasingly.  She let out a moan as he trailed his kisses to her cheek to whisper in her ear, “I want to be with you, too.”

Anna caressed his cheeks with her thumbs, his smell filling her senses.  She wanted him to hold her, she _needed_ his embrace.  “Can you just.. hold me for a little while?” Harry paused his kisses to shift his gaze to hers.

“Of course, love.  Whatever you need.”

He wrapped his arms protectively around her as she snuggled closer to him, her head resting on the crook of his neck.  He always smelled so good; so manly and.. so Harry.  It warmed her heart, calming her racing mind.  “What happened today?”

“Just overwhelmed.  I didn’t handle it too well.” He hugged her tighter, placing his head on top of hers.  “I’m sorry about earlier.”

“Don’t apologize, peaches.  I get it, really.” He cleared his throat.  “There are some.. things.. we need to discuss.” He immediately felt her tense up, expecting it.  “We don’t have to right now but in the near future we do have to have a conversation on what happens next.”

“Okay,” she sighed before continuing, “We can talk about it in a few days.  Can we just have this time for ourselves?”

“Absolutely.” They fell silent again, cuddling together.  This time the air wasn’t tense or awkward; it was comfortable.  Harry could feel her breath on his neck, creating goosebumps on his skin.  He was thankful for it, just moments before being unsure of if he would ever feel her in his arms again.  “What was that that you were playing? I didn’t recognize it.”

Anna let out a little laugh.  “You wouldn’t recognize it cause it’s a song Ben and I wrote.  It was the first song we ever pieced together.  Ben was convinced to have these two notes sound well but it wasn’t working no matter how hard we tried.  He lost so much sleep over it and after awhile, I just gave up.  There was no convincing him that it just wasn’t going to happen.” She smiled in nostalgic.  “He was fucking stubborn.  Sometimes so much that if you told him no, it only drove him to prove to you the answer is yes.”

Harry chuckled.  “Well, that song came out quite good.”

“It’s still unfinished.” Anna laughed.  “He would be going on and on about it _not_ being unfinished if he was here right now.” She looked up at him and a sad smile formed on her lips.  “I miss him.”

“I know, baby.” He rubbed her back, slightly taken aback by how much she was opening up to him.  But it only made him admire her more.  Her strength and courage were undeniably there, whether she felt it or not.

Anna sighed before shrugging, her eyes glazing over.  “I lost myself, too.  For a long time.  I didn’t know what to do, where to turn after he..” She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.  “Then one day, I sat at my parent’s piano.. the ancient piano that we all learned how to play and just.. started playing.  I couldn’t stop cause it was the only thing that could make me feel…okay, you know?” She stared deep in his blue orbs, amazed by how good of a listener he was, how feeling his hand caressing her back softly was making her feel slightly better.  “Music is still the one thing I can turn to the most.”

Harry wanted so much for her to learn to turn to him.  Almost like she was now.  He didn’t always have the right words to say, but he was an excellent ear and he would never deny her a cuddle.  He wanted to make her feel better, wanted to make her feel good.  He wanted her to know that she _was_ loved and.. fucking incredible.

He nodded his head towards the piano that was set in the corner.  ”Play something for me?”

Anna smiled and stood, grabbing onto both of his hands and backing up to the bench.  Harry sat down then pulled her back on his lap so she could sit on him sideways.

“Well, this position will be a little difficult but.. I’ll see what I can do, Wales.” She rested her fingertips on the keys, took a deep breath, and began stroking the keys easily to a soft melody that was old and familiar.  ” _Wise men say only fools rush in.. oh, but I can’t help falling in love with you_..”

The intense emotion he felt when he first saw her dancing with the children came crashing to him again, leaving him breathless.  “ _Shall I stay? Would it be a sin? Oh, but I can’t help falling in love with you..”_ She stunned him, left him breathless.  He fucking loved her.  God, he truly did.  He felt crazy, like he was going mad for how much he yearned for her.  “ _Take my hand.. take my whole life too.. Cause I can’t help falling in love with you..”_

She finished the song and paused before looking over at him shyly.  Harry returned her smile.  ”You’re amazing, you know that?” He kissed the skin of her arm that was visible then moved his arms around her to cover her fingers that still rested on the piano with his own.  ”Teach me to play?”

Her eyes sparkled at him before she turned slightly back forward.  ”What song would you like to learn first?”

“Start off with something easy.  Piano for dummies style.” She giggled and tilted her head to the side and chewed on her lip.

Anna hit the same key twice, then another twice, then a higher note twice again before ending with one tap on the last key.  He instantly knew the song and chuckled.

She did it again, this time softly singing along with the notes.  ” _Twinkle, twinkle, little star._ “ Then she added more.  ” _How I wonder what you are_..”

Harry fell even more in love with her.  He opened his mouth to say the thought aloud but shut it.  He didn’t want to scare her again.

“Okay, your turn.” She switched so her hands covered his and he played the tune back like an expert.  “Wow, fast learner.“ He grinned, nipping her skin and creating a moan from her.  “Also a professional distracter.”

“You love it, baby.”

He played another familiar nursery rhyme without realizing.  Anna was baffled.  ”You can play piano! You bastard!” She turned to swat his arm and he laughed, turning pink in embarrassment.

“Not quite well.  My mother taught my brother and I a couple nursery rhymes.  Twinkle, twinkle little star and—”

Anna’s heart swelled at his flushed cheeks, his pink ears.  She grabbed his face and placed a smacking kiss on his lips, surprising him.  ”I’m so in love with you.”

Harry felt like he was soaring at her words, at the truth in her shining eyes.  He didn’t waste any time, picking her up and placing her on the piano, her feet creating the sweetest music Harry ever heard as they stepped on the keys.  He brought her to climax twice before sheathing himself deep in her and they made sweet love.


	12. How They Have the Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You are going to be hounded. I don’t say that lightly.” He took a breath, becoming even more nervous with the possibility of her changing her mind. “You shouldn’t take that lightly. The press are going to dig for information, nothing is off limits. They will exaggerate whatever they find and if they cannot find anything interesting, they will fabricate shit to get their name printed.”

Anna walked back in her bedroom with two water bottles to find Harry leaning over her side of the bed with his chopsticks actively shoveling her pork fried rice from her Chinese takeout carton into his mouth.  “Busted.” He stopped mid-bite and winked, her heart melting at the sight.

“Ah, come on, peaches.. You know I’ll share some of mine with you.” She tossed his water bottle and was astounded at his ability to catch it with ease.

“Yeah, cause it’s mostly broccoli left.” She sat with one leg underneath her, facing him from the foot of the bed.  “Give it.” Harry handed her his carton and she took a few bites, eating the majority of the broccoli for him before switching again for her own.

Harry sighed in content.  He found himself doing that lately, ever since that day a week ago where they confessed their love for each other.  It was almost as if there was an elephant in the room before, their hearts knowing the truth and waiting for their heads to catch on.  And now that it was out in the open, they were closer.. more intimate.  Their lovemaking was more intense, more meaningful.. and more raunchy at times.

Anna caught him staring at her and smiled in return with her mouth full, cocking her head to one side.  She knew what he was thinking; she had been thinking it too.  She scooted closer to him and leaned forward to kiss him.  He took her carton and placed both on the nightstand so he could bring his hands up to cradle her face.  She sighed against his mouth, “I just want to stay here like this forever.”

Harry’s heart beat rapidly when he saw her tearful eyes.  “Me too, love.” He rubbed their noses together, his thumbs moving back and forth on her cheeks to catch the tears that slipped free.  He would be away for a little over a week, gearing up for the trek and taking up on a couple meetings.  “I’ll be back before you know it.  You won’t even realize I’m gone.”

She sniffled sheepishly at the emotions that were coursing through her.  She blamed it on PMS but she couldn’t deny how much she was going to really miss him.  Anna was used to him always being busy, balancing military duties, royal engagements, and charity events.  She never complained once, knowing how important all of those things were to him.  She cherished the moments they shared together but she knew there wasn’t much they could do with their relationship a secret from the press.

Harry could see her mind working, thinking something through before she found the right words to let him in.  He continued to press tender kisses to her sweet mouth, giving her time but he couldn’t stop the anxiety that was slowly rising in his chest.

Anna returned his kisses, moving to crawl onto his lap and wrap her arms around his neck and shivered when Harry’s hands traveled down to hold her hips, his hands intentionally pausing to apply slight pressure to her breasts that were covered by her top.  “I’m ready,” she whispered.  He gazed at her with hooded eyes and she giggled.  “Not for that…yet,” Harry pouted at her playful wink.  “I’m ready to talk about coming out to the public.”

Harry threw his head back and belted out,  “ _I’m coming out.. I want the world to knoow..gotta let it shooow_.”

She smacked his chest, her body shaking with laughter.  “Come on, be serious, Diana Ross! I’ve been working up the courage to have this discussion, you dork.”

“Dork? Have I told you how much I love it when you talk dirty?” Anna squealed when he changed their position suddenly, his body covering hers as her back rested on the mattress.

“Henry! You imbecile.”

“Oh, baby, keep going.” She trapped him between her legs, biting her lip when his eyes darkened.  Two could play that game.  He growled when she arched her back and buried his head in her neck, nipping and licking the skin he found there.

“Mm, you are so ridiculous.” He bit her neck in response.  “Ah!” She brought her hands down to his bottom and squeezed.  “Okay, seriously, Harry.  We have to talk about this now before I lose it.”

He looked up at her and smirked.  “Well, that’s the point, darling.  My job is to make sure you lose it before I do.”

She smacked his ass in reply.  “Ha! Horndog.” He gave her a smacking kiss before sighing and shifting up to sit back on his feet.  He knew this was a pivotal conversation, something that was going to either make or break them.  Anna stayed on her back and grabbed hold of his hands, lacing their fingers.  “Okay, so.. now what?”

Harry chuckled.  “For starters, we have to tell our families.  My father and Will know I’m in a relationship so I just have to inform them that there will be reports coming out and that’ll make things a little.. crazy for awhile.  But you have to tell your family.” She chewed on her lip.  Harry swayed their entwined hands in a dance before continuing.  “You should warn them of phone calls they’ll be getting, some people may follow them occasionally.  Instruct them that they shouldn’t give out their honest opinions on any topics involving my family.  And to not comment on any story, specifical1ly the false reports that will be in newspapers and magazines.” Anna nodded, intently listening to every word.  It was pretty much common sense but she let him talk, knowing this was crucial and he wanted to make sure she was taking mental notes.

Harry pulled her upright to a sitting position­ and kissed her forehead sweetly.  “As for you.”

“Me?” She questioned in confusion.

“You are going to be hounded.  I don’t say that lightly.” He took a breath, becoming even more nervous with the possibility of her changing her mind.  “You shouldn’t take that lightly.  The press are going to dig for information, nothing is off limits.  They will exaggerate whatever they find and if they cannot find anything interesting, they will fabricate shit to get their name printed.”

“Is this the best time to tell you I’ve been whoring myself around to pay off my student loans? And I caused some drama between my pimp and his associate so I had to flee the States?”

He tapped her nose.  “Cute.”

She tilted her head to the side.  “O-kay, that’s your big speech? Is that all?”

Harry furrowed his brows.  “Is that all? Anna, I don’t want you going into this blind.  I should have gone through all of this before…” He paused and shrugged his shoulders, licking his lips and letting out a puff of air.  “What do you think? Are you ready for all of this?”

Anna grabbed his face with both hands and brought his lips to her, capturing them in a loving kiss.  “Let’s do this, Wales.”

He snickered before turning serious.  “One more thing.” She waited expectantly, her hands still holding him.  “You’ve been a military girlfriend but you’re about to be a royal girlfriend.  It’s much different.  You can trust me, always know that.  I’ll always be open and honest.” Anna was touched at how concerned he was and she knew it was for good reason.

“You can trust me too, Harry.  I know I have a tendency to… go mental but I want you to know, I need you to know that I’m in this for the long haul.”

He nodded, feeling jittery.  “You have to promise me that if this gets to be too much or something happens that bothers you.. promise me you will tell me immediately.” Her heart clenched at his words, almost as if he was terrified he wouldn’t be enough.  His eyes were frantic, searching her expression for any signs of regret.  “Promise me you’ll be open and honest with me too.. I don’t want you to get scared and keep it to yourself and then end up running away.  If you’re frightened, let me in and—”

“Hey,” Anna silenced his rambling, covering his mouth.  “Harry..” She looked him dead in the eyes as she spoke softly to him.  “I promise, sweetheart.” She replaced her finger with her mouth, pecking his lips.  “I promise.” She kissed his nose.  “I promise.” Each of his pink cheeks.  “I promise.” His eyes and forehead. “I’m not going anywhere.”

He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.  “Okay.” He shook his head at himself before a goofy smile formed.  “Alright, love.  We’ve been cooped up inside these walls for too long.  What would you like to do? Bowling? Go for ice cream? A swim at the beach?”

Harry looked at her curiously when a devilish smirk appeared on her lips.  “I now just the thing..”

———-

Harry shook his head at her indecisive nature, spending a good hour going through the many shades of paint.  When she had suggested to him they go out to the local home improvement store to pick up cans of paint for her spare room, he laughed it off.  But she wasn’t kidding around.  And now instead of relaxing, he was spending his last day off before a grueling week laboring away.  If only she could decide on a damn color.

“Okay, here are some of the neutral and soft colors that are similar to the living room.” Anna handed the stack of samples to Harry and waved the second set.  “And these are more vibrant.” Harry cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders to ease the tense muscles that were caused from standing in the same position for a lengthy amount of time.  He was kicking himself in the arse now for agreeing to help her.  “It’s practically a music room so I’d go with this one.”

“Holiday Turquoise?” Anna cocked her head to the side as she contemplated his opinion.  “Yeah? You think so?” She paused.  “But what if one day I want to turn the room into something else?”

Harry rolled his eyes.  “Right, the piano and your massive collection of guitars will fit comfortably in your kitchen.  Love, you don’t have the space to turn it into something else.  And cool colors have calming qualities and can create a peaceful and tranquil environment.  It’s supposed to help with concentration too.  Plus, blue happens to be my favorite color.” He sighed when he saw her bite the inside of her cheek, her forehead creased in deep thought.  “Did you even listen to anything I said?”

She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling.  “Oh, stop being a woman.” Anna laughed when his eyes narrowed.  “Okay, yeah.. yeah, you’re right.” He breathed a sigh of relief.  “So which of these do you think?” Harry wanted to scream but groaned in frustration instead, lifting his cap to tug on his fiery locks before adjusting it back on.

“Anna, pick whatever you want.  We’ve wasted too much time here and we still have to get started with the first coat.”

“Fine, you grouch.  We’ll go with this one.” She, of course, picked his least favorite.  He pressed his lips tightly together to keep from giving his input, knowing it would delay them even further.  Her eyes twinkled at his expression.  She knew it was his least favorite; it was her least favorite too if she was being honest.  She was stalling, enjoying spending time out together, holding hands like a normal couple as they strolled in the store.

She was also having a pleasant time annoying the hell out of him, too.  Anna laughed and teasingly pulled his cap over his eyes.  “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.  Definitely the Holiday Turquoise.  So wise, my Captain.”

He smiled and leaned forward to murmur.  “That’s my girl.” He kissed her softly, feeling liberated that he was able to kiss her in public, where they could have an audience.  Sue, it was fun sneaking around, waiting for her at his place as he sent a driver to pick her up in black tinted windows; creeping into her flat right after work to get a few hours of sleep before she would get off work.  He had enjoyed their private time, taking it slow in the beginning as they got to know one another.  But was ready to show his girl off to the world.  He was ready to have her at his side, and vice versa.

Was he nervous? Without a doubt.  He wouldn’t deny that.  He knew what the media could do, would do when they found out about them.  It was inevitable; he couldn’t stop it, as much as he wish he could.  But right now, he didn’t give a shit what they thought, what they would say.  He could only anticipate it and continue to love and cherish this incredible woman that was in front of him.  
They put the rest of the samples back in its holder and made their way to the counter to get the paint mixed, hands entwined.  “So hey, some of my friends are eager to meet you.  I told them we were free the Saturday I get back.  Tom’s having a get together at his new flat.” He instantly noticed the way she bit her lip and he squeezed her hand.  “It’ll only be a few there.  Very intimate.”

They stopped in front of the abandoned mixing station and Harry tapped on  the bell that had a ‘Ring For Assistance’ sign taped on the counter underneath it.  He turned to face her and raised his brows for her answer.  “Oh? You have friends?” He smacked her bottom without thinking and Anna yelped in surprise before swatting his arm, her eyes scanning the area to make sure none of the shoppers witnessed the act.  She bumped his side with her hip and leaned into him.  “Throwing me to the wolves already?” She giggled at his exasperated expression.  “I’d love to meet your friends, Harry.”

“You sure?” He pulled her into his arms, hugging her close.

“Absolutely.” They were quiet for a few moments, relishing in the comfortable embrace but Anna was the first to break the silence, voicing her concern.  “What if they don’t like me?”

Harry squeezed her tighter at the sound of her small voice.  “They will love you, baby.”

———-

The swishing sounds of the paint brushes rolling the wet paint onto the walls echoed throughout the room.  It was mostly empty—apart from the piano and recliners that were covered with sheets—pictures and knick knacks that decorated the space moved out into the hall.

Harry sneaked a glance at her, shaking his head and chuckling in amusement at her attire.  She had changed into more appropriate clothing, baggy overalls with an old t-shirt underneath and a bandana covering the top of her dark hair that she had braided into two parts.  He found her incredibly sexy, even in that outfit.

“You missed a spot,” he teased.  She bent to roll the brush in the pan with more paint and looked over at him to stick her tongue out.  “Nice.. I can tell you what else you could do with that ton-”

“Get to work, Wales.  This has to be done by today.“  He watched her as she began to apply the paint again, smirking as his eyes roved over her heated skin.  He wanted to grab her, push her up against the wet walls and kiss the hell out of her.  She drove him mad with desire.  
Anna could sense his attention on her as she made her way closer to where his assigned wall space was.  “You are such a slacker.  I’m almost done with mine and you’ve barely made a dent in yours.”

He playfully tickled her side, startling her and causing the brush in her hand to jerk to the left, abrupting her calculated up and down motion.  She gasped at the awkward streak.  “Henry! You made me mess up!”

He let out an evil laugh before dropping his paint brush on one of the old rags that served the purpose to wipe their hands.  Harry placed his hands on her hips and rested his forehead on her shoulder from behind, inhaling the peach shampoo she used just for him.  “You are so goddamn sexy in this farmer’s daughter costume.”

The lust in hoarse voice made Anna stop the task at hand, tossing the brush to lay beside his on the floor.  She turned to face him and reached up on her tip toes to close the space between them.  “You know what else is sexy?”

“Hm?”

He noticed the glint of mischief in her eyes but before he could react, she lifted up a finger that was wet with the blue paint and smeared a line from his temple to his jaw line.

“Annalisa!” He growled, lifting her up by the waist and twirling her around as she laughed hysterically.

———-

A few hours later, Harry was propped up on the stool in her kitchen as Anna chit chatted with her family on her mobile.  They were waiting for the paint to dry to start on the second coat when Harry had suggested that she call them and get it over with, especially since they were all together for the weekend in the same city for Sunday brunch.

Anna was working up the nerve to tell them, unsure of their reactions as they put her on speakerphone and got her caught up on the latest events.  She licked her lips and cleared her throat.  “So, I have some important news.” She waited for the hush to come, her eyes wide as she looked over at Harry for support.  He nodded for her to continue, offering a comforting smile.  “You know I’ve been seeing someone..”

“Yeah, when are we going to meet this handsome man of yours?” She rolled her eyes at Kathie’s interruption.

“Well, here’s the thing.  Harry is..” She swallowed, “He’s.. um-”

“Christ Almighty, spit it out!” Everyone voiced their agreement to Gabe’s outburst.

“Okay, God! Harry is.. from the Royal Family.” Silence.  “British Royal Family.” More silence.  “…Prince Harry?”

All at once the sound of laughter vibrated through the phone.  Anna held it away from her ear, cringing while Harry laughed quietly.  “You’ve lost it.  What have you been drinking over there?”

“This isn’t a joke, Luke.”

“Prove it.  Send us a picture.” After rolling her eyes and telling them to hold on, she searched through her photo album for a recent picture of him.  Harry sat back, trying not to laugh as she grumbled under her breath at how ridiculous they were.  He thought of how much easier it would be for her if he would just talk to them but he knew they weren’t there just yet.

After a couple minutes, she heard the frantic search on the other end for whose phone was buzzing with her message.  “You googled that shit!”

“Finn!” Her mother scolded and Anna could hear a faint apology from her brother in the background.

“Seriously? Guys, it’s Harry.”

“Bullshit! You could’ve easily gotten a photo from the internet.  We need solid proof.”

“Gah, you guys are impossible! Hold on, you crazies.” Anna walked over to him, setting her phone on mute and getting her camera ready.  “Ready to take a selfie?”

Harry let out a chuckle and pinched her side before he leaned down to kiss her, fingering one of her loose curls that hung from the bandana.  “How does my hair look?”

“Gorgeous.” Patting his head, she stretched out her arm and arranged it so they were both in the shot.  At the last second, she turned her head to place a surprising kiss on his cheek.

When Anna peeked at the picture before she sent it to her impatient family, she giggled at Harry’s thumbs up.

Harry and Anna both laughed loudly at the reaction that came pouring into the phone.  Her mother and grandma both gasping in disbelief and Kathie’s excited screech.  Her brothers “no ways” and “holy shits” and Gabe horrified “what the bloody hell are you wearing?!”.  Even the kids could be heard, asking what was all the commotion.

She let them have their moment, waiting patiently and answering a few simple questions.  When? How long? Has she met the Queen? Has she met his brother? His sister-in-law? His new nephew? Was he there with her at that moment? Does she curtsey to him? (She had Gabe to thank for that one.  He also knew she had to refrain from replying with a dirty joke.)

“So listen.. I know you’re all curious and want to know more but I just had to tell you now before the media caught on.  Harry and I have started going out in public and it won’t be long before the whole world finds out.  I just need you guys to be cautious of what you say when there are prying eyes and ears.  People will be calling you, just.. please be careful.”

They all agreed and told her they understood and were by her side no matter what.  The only person who hadn’t said anything was her father, and that made Anna’s stomach tighten.

“Daddy?” Her childlike voice prompted Harry to mock her, making a silly face.  But she ignored him, needing to hear her dad’s approval.

“Yes, Annalisa?”

Fuck.  He used his intimidating voice.

“Do you want to say something?” Harry comfortingly rubbed her back.

“What is there for me to say, Annalisa? I don’t know the guy dating my daughter.  How am I to know if he’s treating you right? How am I to know if his intentions are good?” Anna smacked her forehead in embarrassment.  “I don’t, Annalisa.  I don’t know.  So again, what is there for me to say?” The commotion died down, silence filling the background.  She could feel the tension around them without even being there.

She sighed heavily into the receiver.  “Dad, this isn’t the time to discuss this.”

“Marco,” she heard her mother’s warning.

“No, Lucille.  She asked me to say something.  You know how much I don’t care for secrets, Annalisa.  We are family; we do not keep life altering decisions from family.”

Anna rolled her eyes.  “Okay, well, thank you for the support.”

“Annalisa Lucille Caro.” She cringed at the full name and Harry became more uncomfortable with how it was playing out.  “Have you forgotten who you are speaking to? I am your father.  Show some respect.”  Anna turned away from Harry, walking to the other side of the breakfast bar for some space.  She was embarrassed, he could tell by the flush on her cheeks and the way she was tugging on the braids.

“Okay, you’re overreacting here.  I’m a grown woman, daddy.. I’m an adult and I’m in an adult relationship.  I love Harry.. and this is not the time to be talking about this with ears listening in.. I will talk to you in private some other time.”

“You don’t talk to me that way, Annalisa.  I am your fath-”

“Yes, you are my father.  Exactly.  So act like it and support me.  In the meantime, this conversation is over.  I will talk to you guys tomorrow after you’ve had some time to soak everything in.  You know how to reach me if you have any questions.”

After the awkward goodbyes and promises of more information, Anna hung up and took a few calming breaths, releasing all the negative energy.  
Sometime during the intense exchange, Harry had stood from his seat and paced across the room, chewing on his fingers out of habit.  Now his eyes searched her face for any indication of what was to come.  That didn’t go as well as he originally thought it would.  But was he surprised? He couldn’t say he was.  She had just dropped a bomb on her family.  Everything that they had discussed earlier came flooding back.

She was dating a Prince.  The media was going to rip her to shreds.  Her family would be contacted from here on out.  Personal information would be aired out, not only about her but also about them.

Shit.  Her father hated him now, never mind when all of the chaos began.

“It’ll take him some time to warm up to the idea.  I wouldn’t worry about it.” Harry didn’t realize that he had zoned out until he heard her reassurance.

Anna felt awful.  After hanging up and taking a short time to collect herself, she grew curious to Harry’s reaction; when she looked up, concern was etched on his face, his forehead creased and his lips pressed in a firm line.  She made her way over to him and looped her arms through his to wrap around his frame.  With her cheek pressed gently over his chest, she inhaled his scent.  “I love you, Henry.”

The steady beating of his heart accelerated, bringing a smile to her lips.  She had been saying the words daily to him for over a week now but he still felt as it was for the first time every time.

It was then that he hugged her back.  “I love you, baby.”  Harry began to sway slightly, creating a giggle— another sound he adored.  “We got another hour before we can work on the second coat.  Any idea of what we can do in the meantime?”

She wiggled her eyebrows at him.  “What was it that you were talking about earlier? Something about a better use for my tongue?”

She slid down to her knees and Harry’s body reacted immediately to her sultry voice and her gracious movements, the bulge straining against his jeans.  He placed his hand on the top of her head, throwing his head back.  “I fucking love you.”


	13. How She Met His Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He could clearly see the anxiety in her eyes, finding her silly for being this way over the most laidback group he had known since forever. ”What if-“
> 
> “Don’t even finish that, Annalisa.” He interrupted her.
> 
> “Bu-”
> 
> “No. No buts. They will love you.”

Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he stood in the doorway.  He crossed his arms and leaned on the frame, admiring the curls that were peeking from under the covers.  Anna was snuggled on the side of the bed that he always occupied, her face buried in his pillow that had his lingering scent.  During one of their short phone calls while he was away, she had confessed that she slept on his side and hugged his pillow close, pretending she was cuddling with him.  He had laughed and teased her endlessly, but he secretly felt overjoyed at how much she missed him.

He was utterly exhausted, his body and mind tired from the training he had done.  He almost canceled out on a couple meetings he had just so he could rush over to be in her presence.  But she had argued with him against it, knowing the importance of him following through with his meetings.  She had been right.  But it didn’t prevent him from rushing over the second he was free.

And now, being in the same room as her, silently watching her get the little sleep she allowed herself.. it was well worth the wait.

Anna made a small sound, mumbling incoherently.  Her relaxed demeanor shifted to appear as if she were in pain, her brows furrowed.  He wondered what she was dreaming about.  There were a couple instances he could recall of her mention of dark dreams in passing, but she never elaborated.  Harry didn’t think much of them as he too was familiar with nightmares.

Another noise came from her again, a little grunt.  Harry chuckled and pushed the weight back onto his sore feet to make his way over to the bed.  He was needy and desperate for her touch, for the warmth of her embrace.

He stood by the bed, leaning slightly forward to finger her curls, sweeping them back to catch a glimpse of her angelic features, her long lashes gently resting on her pink cheeks.  He felt the skip of a heartbeat, the flutter in the pit of his stomach.  It had felt more like months rather than just a few days being without her.  And now here he was.. here she was, within his reach.

Harry licked his lips, itching to take her fully in his arms and get as close as he could to her.  But instead, he shuffled his way over the other side of the bed and he kicked off his shoes, pulling his shirt up over his head and dropping his trousers to the hardwood floor.  The bed dipped with his added weight, causing Harry to freeze when Anna mumbled again.

When he got comfortably into bed, he let out a quiet snort when he noticed most of the sheets were wrapped around her.  ”Cover hog.” He shook his head and shifted closer to her to wrap his arm around her frame, half laying on her back as she slept on her stomach..

Anna stirred when she felt the movement and a hard body pressing on her, chasing away the darkness that was haunting her dreams.  She was disgruntled, confused on what was reality and what was imaginary.  The sensation of someone sniffing her hair startled her, her entire body tensing up.  ”Shh, it’s me, baby.” He nuzzled against the back of her neck, taking in her sweet scent and Anna instantly woke up..

“Harry?” She wasn’t expecting his arrival until much later when he would pick her up to meet his friends.  Anna turned to look over her shoulder, smiling sleepily at his welcoming grin.

“Morning, peaches.”

Her smile widened and Harry allowed her space enough to face him fully on her back.  ”Hi.” Her eyes blinked repeatedly to clear up her blurred vision, wanting to get a better look at him.  ”When did you..” she trailed off.

“Just now.” He made one of his signature silly faces to make her laugh, succeeding.  It was one of the things he loved the most about her, one of the things he missed while they were apart.  He wanted to hear her laugh, witness her smiling face.. and he wanted to be the cause of it every time.

Anna blinked again, the permanent smile never faltering as she let the feel of his skin on hers soak in.  Her dreams were far from her mind, her entire being at ease.  She sighed happily and Harry’s eyes shined when he saw the twinkle in her eye.  ”Hi,” she beamed.

Her hands went to thread his hair, bringing his lips to her so she could lay a few tender kisses.  ”Missed me, love?”

She pursed her lips and wrinkled her nose, feigning indifference.  ”Eh..”

His jaw hung open in mock hurt.  ”Oh yeah?” He tickled her side, her barely covered body rubbing against his as she squirmed.  The heat passed through them and the sight of her teeth worrying her bottom lip made him groan.  ”Shit, Anna.. who am I kidding? I missed you so fucking much.”

Anna moaned at his rough voice that was laced with sexual desire and she boldly arched her back to bring their pelvises flush together, her thighs falling open.  Harry fingered the hem of her half shirt, his knuckles brushing against the soft skin of her stomach, creating shivers to run through her.  ”Harry..” He ignored her quiet plea as his hand traveled over her side, down her hip to the top of her thigh.  His gaze never leaving her mouth as her teeth kept digging into her swollen lips.

He licked his lips and squeezed her fleshly thigh.  ”Fuck, tell me you missed me as much as I missed you.” Her purr made his cheeks flush and his body ache with want.  ”Tell me you’ve been going mad, too.” Anna’s eyes bored into his and he could see the undeniable desire that held in her amber orbs.  ”Tell me, baby.. please.”

Anna’s hand smoothed down his arm and covered his hand to move between her legs where her answer could be found. Harry’s eyes darkened and his breath caught in his throat feeling the wet spot on her knickers.  ”I missed you, too.” He didn’t move to rid her of her panties, too eager to touch her.

Her head tilted back and her eyes slid shut when his fingertips rubbed her slit before shifting further, opening her up as her tiny hand held his wrist.  ”Goddamn, I love touching you here.. feeling how much you desire me..”

“Harry..” His heart raced at her silky voice.  “Please.“

He shifted further down, placing open mouthed kisses on her stomach, her sweet scent filling his senses and fueling his need to taste her.  He slipped two long fingers inside her, directly hitting the spot that made her cry out in surprised pleasure.  He licked around her belly button and whispered against her skin.  ”I love the sounds you make.. especially when I..” He curled them inside her, Anna gasping and moaning out.  ”..do that.”

“Oh, Harry.. please.” She bent her knees, feet firmly planted on the bed, struggling to keep from losing her sanity.  She couldn’t think, could barely breathe at the overpowering sensations as he pressed against the sensitive spot relentlessly.  She grew wetter as the anticipation of coming undone overcame her.  Harry stroked her inner walls, feeling them tightening around him.  She was close.  So fucking close.

“Let go, baby.. come for me,” his whispered words tickled her thigh where his mouth hovered.  He bit her then, sending her over the edge with a strangled cry.

With their eyes locked Harry went to bring his hand up to his mouth but Anna caught him, raising it to hers instead and sliding his wet fingers into her warm mouth, tasting herself.  ”Fuck.” He groaned, growing painfully hard as he watched her with hooded eyes.  She moaned, suckling gently and grazing her teeth on his fingertips before sliding them back out with a pop.

Her attention shifted to his aching cock, reddening her already flushed cheeks.  ”Is that for me?” She joked.

Harry winked.  ”He’s been a very good boy.. I think it’s time you reward him for good behavior.”

The little giggle she let escape through her lips made his heart skip a beat.  ”Mm, and how should I do that?”

Harry smiled seductively at her and moved to kneel between her legs once again, ridding her of her panties and his boxers.  He smoothed his hand from her knees up to her thighs to grab hold of her hips, lifting her bottom up to position at her entrance.  He entered her slowly, her tight walls sucking him in as she let out a whimper.  ”Yes,” he hissed, “this is good..” She squeezed around him when he thrust the rest of the way. “Oh yeah.. this is fucking good..”

Anna couldn’t hear him as he murmured, too caught up in her own pleasure.  Harry bent her knees more, bringing them up towards her to get even deeper.  ”You feel.. amazing.  Shit, I can’t be away.. from you.. miss this.. miss you..” He spoke as his thrusts emphasized every word, grunting.  ”I..love.. you.. so damn.. much.”

“Love you, Harry..” Anna’s hands went to hold onto the bedpost as his moved from her legs to knead her breasts that were still covered by the shirt.  “Oh god, me too, baby.. I love you..“

“Fuck.. Anna..”

He pounded into her, desperate to find release after over a week going without.  “Harry!” He twisted her nipples and felt her walls squeeze him as she came, sending him spiraling as his release filled her **.**

———

“Stop.”

Anna turned her attention away from the window that she had spent the majority of the car ride staring out of.  She couldn’t stop fidgeting, couldn’t stop the nerves that were bubbling inside of her chest.  ”What?”

Harry sighed and squeezed her hand in his in reassurance.   ”You’re worrying yourself over nothing, love.”

He could clearly see the anxiety in her eyes, finding her silly for being this way over the most laidback group he had known since forever.  ”What if-“

“Don’t even finish that, Annalisa.” He interrupted her.

“Bu-”

“No.  No buts.  They will love you.  You have nothing to fret over.  They’re not stuck up rich kids like most people think.”

Anna’s brows furrowed.  ”Har- that’s not what I think of them.”

He smiled gently and nodded.  ”I know it’s not.  But you’re acting as if you are meeting the Queen of England or something.” He chuckled at her groan.

“Harry! That is not funny.” He had a running joke whenever she was unsure of a situation that at least she was not meeting the Queen, as if her being introduced to the Queen was ludicrous.  “And it’s so not helping right now.”

“Really? Cause I recall a few giggles.”

She rolled her eyes.  ”You frustrate me.” He leaned over and gave her a temple a peck to calm her.  ”What if-“

“Anna,” he warned and she shut her mouth, saluting him.

“Sir, yes, sir.”

——

After arriving at their destination, Harry kissed her hand that was clutching onto his for dear life.  They made it to the door and waited for the greeting, Dave standing behind them.

Anna had already grown accustomed to his PO’s always being around.  She didn’t want to say she didn’t know they were there because that would be rude of her.. and inaccurate.  She felt their presence, at times being concerned of them overhearing a discussion between Harry and herself.  But she was also grateful for it, occasionally having them back up her argument, something Harry couldn’t stand and made a big fuss over, arguing about loyalty.

She smiled at the thought, the distraction calming her nerves before the door swung open and a man with curly hair appeared at the door.  ”Heeey!” He pat Harry on the back, moving aside to let Dave enter.  ”It’s Hazza!”

“Argh, I can see you’ve started the party already, Skip.”

Skippy snickered, raising a glass that was filled with the amber liquid.  ”Don’t be a royal pain in my arse.” He cackled and looked over at Anna.  ”Get it? _Royal_ pain in my arse.”

Dave came into view and nodded at Harry before stepping out of the flat.  ”Yes, we get it.  Har, har.. haven’t heard that one before.” Harry pushed Skippy back so they could step inside and gave Anna an apologetic look.

“Hey, gang! Harry and his girl are here!”

Anna took a breath as several pair of eyes turned their attention to her, scoping her out.  She slowly let the air out, counting silently to calm herself.  She felt Harry’s grip tighten slightly before he spoke.  ”Who’s the fucker responsible for Skip getting ahold of the alcohol?”

“Heeey! Harry!” They ignored his question, all bounding over to get the introductions.

Harry faced her, unlacing their hands and bringing his arm around to rest at the small of her back while his other hand reached out to point everyone out by name.  ”Okay, here we have Tom, there’s Jake and Guy.  The girls are Beth, Liv, and Maggie.” They gave her a warm smile and small wave.  ”And this lad is Skippy.” He clapped his hand on Skippy’s shoulder.  ”Don’t listen to anything he says and we should be in good shape.” He took a deep breath before adding, “everyone.. this is Anna.”

All at once the girls rushed over to give her a hug and compliment her on the flowy skirt of her summer dress and carefully curled hair.  The guys let them have their moment, voicing their complaints.  And what seemed like hours to them, the girls pulled away and let them kiss her cheeks in greeting.

“Congratulations on the new home, Tom.  It’s a lovely place.”

“Thank you, darling.” He took her hand to place an innocent kiss, getting a shove from Harry.  “Beth designed the whole flat.  She didn’t trust me.“

Beth huffed and flipped her blonde hair before taking Anna’s hand and moving them into the living room where drinks and snacks were set up.  ”More like I was horrified at what your poor taste would do with the place.”

“It’s very nice and.. homey.” Anna complimented, taking a seat on the sofa and thanking Liv as she took the offered drink.  She kept an eye on where Harry stood, having a small chat with Jake and Tom off to the side, a beer nestled in his hand.

“It’s great to finally meet the mystery woman who has captured Harry’s heart.” Liv sat on the other side of her.  “We were beginning to think you were a figment of his imagination.”

“Knowing Harry, I wouldn’t put it past him.” Anna joked, earning laughs and looks of approval.  They engaged in small chit chat, getting to know each other a little more.

“Don’t worry,” Maggie pat her knee as she took a seat on the carpeted floor, grabbing a handful of popcorn.  “Harry speaks highly of you and he has a good sense of character so we trust him.“

“Yeah,” Beth added.  “You don’t have to expect an ‘if you hurt him, we will hunt you down’ speech.“

“Unless, of course, you do break his heart.  Then you bet your arse we’re coming for you.” Anna’s head was reeling and her cheeks turned pink.

“Oh. I-I mean.. I’m not-”

“We’re just messing around!” The girls laughed and Anna joined in after taking a big sip of her drink to ease the tension.

“Jello shots!” Skippy barged into the room carrying a tray filled with tiny cups of a variety of rainbow colored jello.

“We’ve barely walked through the door and you’re already trying to get her drunk.” Harry went over to where they were to apologize but Anna quickly dismissed it.

She gave him a challenging smirk and was rewarded by his signature cheeky grin as she took the first shot.  ”Jello shots!”

The whole room cheered before grabbing a shot and downing them.  ”Who’s up for some karaoke?!”

——

“ _Ohhhh loove huuurts_!” Guy and Tom finished up and bowed at the applause.

“That was horrid.” Liv said, covering her ears with a disgusted expression.

“That was a perfect ten if you ask me!” Tom argued.

“Shut your traps.” Harry staggered over to pick up the discarded microphone.  “My turn.“ He grinned at Anna, chuckling when he found her giggling like an excited school girl with Beth.

“Anna,” he lowered his voice dramatically.  “This one is for you.“

When the sounds of “Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me For Me)” began playing, Anna covered her face to hide the amusement.

“ _She don’t care about my car.  And she don’t care about my money.  And that’s real good cause I don’t got a lot to spend_..” He paused and winked for effect, the gang booing his corniness.  ” _But if I did, it wouldn’t mean nothing_ _._ ”

“ _She likes me for me_!” Anna and his mates sang out with him.  ” _Not becaaause_..”

——

Anna was becoming comfortable quickly around the rowdy group.  She could tell they got on well like a close knit family and it warmed her heart to see Harry enjoy himself in his element.  She hadn’t seen him let loose the way he was tonight, the carefree way he laughed with his head back and his quick wit.  She loved it.

They were still enjoying the karaoke, mumbling and making up their own words as they knocked back more jello shots.  She had never had friends like this and it felt nice, it made her feel.. accepted.

“Oh, I know! Harry and Anna should do a duet!”

Anna whipped her head towards Liv.  ”A what?!”

Chants of “duet, duet, duet!” resonated in her fuzzy mind.  She looked to Harry who was already stumbling over to her, determined to make this a night to remember.

“C’mon, love.. Let’s give the kiddos what they want.”

She hesitated for a split second.  ”Am I drunk enough for this?” Harry snorted, wiggling his fingers that were outstretched for her.

“Duet, duet, duet!” Their chants became louder, more insistent and Anna reached for another jello shot, knocking it back in one swift motion, and then took his hand.

Harry assisted her, pulling her to her feet and quickly tried to steady her as she wobbled.  “You lightweight.”

She scoffed at him.  ”Bugger off.”

“Spoken like a true Brit, my love.  C’mon, let’s show these losers how it’s done.”

Harry shielded her eyes to avoid her of witnessing which song he selected for their duet.  She ignored their cheers, her thoughts scattered as the nervousness crept up on her.  But it quickly faded when the sounds of the guitar vibrated through the speakers.  She giggled, taking the microphone from Harry, his eyes shining with excitement.

He took her free hand in his and glanced at the screen where the lyrics played out, taking the lead.  ” _When I was a young boy, said put away those young boy ways.. Now that I’m gettin’ older, so much older_..” His deep voice yelled out the next line, “ _I love all those young boy days_!”

He quickly turned to Anna and leaned towards her as she beamed up at him through glossed over eyes.  ” _With a girl like you.. With a girl like you.. Lord knows there are things we can do, baby.. just me and you_..” He cocked his head to the side, “ _come on and make it hurt_.”

Anna grabbed hold of his shirt and brought him closer to her as they belted out the song, their bodies drunkenly moving to the rhythm as their audience hollered and howled with laughter.

“ _Hurt so good.. come on baby, make it hurt so good_!” Their faces scrunched up with enthusiasm.  ” _Sometimes love don’t feel like it should.. you make it hurt so good_.”

Anna spun around, giggling as she tripped over her own feet, and threw her arms up, letting the melody take over her movements.  Harry raised his brows in surprise then smirked, forgetting about his mates that were causing a raucous at their performance.  He wrapped his free arm around to her stomach and pressed his front flush against her back.

He was too focused on their close proximity and the liquor that flowed in his veins to realize she was singing the next part until she nudged him with her bottom.  ” _Hey baby, it’s you.. Come on now it’s you.. Sink your teeth right through my bones, baby.. Let’s see what we can do.. Come on and make it hurt_.”

Harry groaned, feeling his cock twitch in response to her rotating hips as she danced lower and lower down his front.  ” _Maybe we could just walk around all day long.. walk around all day long_..”

He didn’t know it but that was the moment his close friends all glanced at each other, silently agreeing that Harry had found the one he had been hoping for.

——-

Howls of laughter filled the flat, old time friends and new friends all around.  Skippy was modeling in a pair of Liv’s sparkly heels, posing with his hip out to the side.  He had made a degrading comment, getting a disgusted response from the others.  The girls had ganged up on him, listing all the reasons as to why women had it worse than men.  Skippy had been the only foolish one to disagree, and as punishment was forced to take a walk in their shoes.  The plan backfired when they had come to learn how he could walk more gracefully than most of them in a drunken state.

Harry sneaked a glance at Anna who sat close to Maggie across the room, their arms entwined as if they had known each other for ages. He felt a sense of pride, of admiration at how well she got on with his mates, how after just a few hours she was part of the tight circle.

“Where the fuck did you learn to strut like that, Skip?” Tom gasped in between his laughs.

Skippy replied in a singsong voice, posing with one leg in front of the other. “ _I am woman, hear me roar_.”

“Oh shit, who made you watch Sex and the City?” Jake teased. “How many times do I have to tell you that is not attractive?”

Anna pointed an accusing finger at Jake. “Whoa whoa whoa. How did YOU know that was in Sex and the City??” The gang cheered and Tom high fived her. Jake stuttered an incoherent reply, cheeks flushed in embarrassment before throwing his hands in the air.  ”Ah fuck it, so I watched the series!”

“Oh for research on how to properly please a woman?” Harry joked, winking at Anna. She gave him a naughty smile in response, her way of confirming his special abilities of pleasing her.

“Piss off you dickwad. Piss off everyone!” Jake plopped himself on one of the sofas, arms crossed in a pout. “I bet I’m getting more action in the bedroom than all of you put together.”

“Harry and I beg to differ.” Anna’s eyes turned wide as the words rushed out of her mouth without a second thought. The whole room became silent, mouths hanging open in surprise. She turned to Harry, and recovered upon seeing his cheeky grin.  She shrugged and asked, “Am I right?”

“Oh, absolutely, darling.”

A chorus of “ew!” from the girls and “lucky bastard” from the guys rang out before the room filled with more laughter.

——

When the evening came to an end, numbers were exchanged all around and plans of lunch dates were made. Harry was leading Anna to the door, wishing well nights and thanks for the giggles.

“It was so nice to meet you all. Thank you for welcoming me.” Anna received kisses on each cheek from the guys and tight hugs from the girls.

“It was great fun and so lovely to finally meet you, Anna.” Beth smiled warmly at her before leaning to kiss Harry’s cheek. She lingered a moment and whispered in his ear. “Good job, Haz.  We love her.”

He smiled in return. “Me too.”

After a couple more moments of goodbyes, the couple turned to go, walking hand in hand to the SUV that awaited them.  Once they were settled inside the privacy of the vehicle, Anna gazed at him with tired eyes. “That was fun.”

“I told you you had nothing to fret over. They adored you.”

She bit her lip. “You think so?”

Harry leaned forward and kissed the corner of her mouth, his eyes never leaving hers. “I know so.”

Anna closed the small gap between them and kissed him fully. “Thank you for tonight.”

He fingered a curl. “It was all you, baby. I’m incredibly proud of you,” he gushed. “You were brilliant.”

“Harry..”

His tongue swiped across his lower lip. “It’s true. I’m in awe of you. I am in love with an admirable woman and god only knows why she loves me too.”

Anna’s eyes welled with tears and she brought her hands up to cup his heated cheeks that were rosy from the alcohol that he had consumed. “She loves you back because you are a remarkable man. With the most gentle heart and..” Her lips twitched in a playful smirk. “..and amazingly strong hands and broad shoulders.”

Harry laughed lightly. She tilted her head to the side and smiled at the wrinkles that surrounded his eyes when he laughed. She brought her hands to her lips then pressed gently on the area she was fixated on.

“Trying to kiss my wrinkles away, love?”

She shook her head, the permanent smile widening. “I love your wrinkles, old man.”

Harry poked her side and she let out a long yawn, squirming in her seat. “Let’s get you to bed, grandma.” She stuck her tongue out and giggled before nodding in agreement.

And as the car rolled on in the night back to the warmth of her bed, they both leaned into each other, reflecting on the success of the evening.  She had met his friends and they had given their approval.  They had reached another milestone in their relationship.


	14. How She Leaned On Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She sighed heavily. Just hours ago, she had been happy. So completely happy.

When Anna was in fifth grade, she made a friend.  Another shy little girl with jet black hair and a sweet smile that matched her own.  They exchanged snacks and stuck together during lunch.  It was the first time Anna had felt understood, Mai Lim being her first friend that was not blood related.

And after a couple months, they finally got the nerve to ask their parents for a play date.  She can still recall the restless night before that sunny day where she went over to Mai’s house that overlooked the beach, the excitement consuming her.

They played in the sand, building castles and had a picnic near the water.  It was the most fun Anna had being apart from her brothers, enjoying the rare girl time.  And then when she got home that night, her dad got his next assignment and they had to pack up and move for the second time that same year.  She never heard from Mai Lim again.

When she was seventeen, she experienced her first kiss.  His name was Nick and he hung around the popular crowd.  They had known each other for awhile, Ben being in the same circle as him, but they hadn’t talked much.  She was too shy, too awkward with braces and big glasses.  Until they were assigned to be lab partners in the spring of her senior year.

It took some time for her to realize his teasing was his way of flirting with her, something that she hadn’t experienced before.  And they started spending time studying and working on their lab reports in the chemistry class after school.

The week before prom, the unexpected had happened.  They were finishing up a lab report one afternoon when she looked up at Nick gazing down at her.  He kissed her, then asked her to prom.  Anna was ecstatic, excitedly running home to confide in her mother and canceling their plans of a Molly Ringwald marathon for prom night.

But as she walked through the door, her family was gathered around her father.  He had gotten the call of her grandfathers sudden passing.  They took the next flight out to Boston and she missed the dance.

At twenty years old, she had gotten the long awaited phone call of her application being accepted for the intern position at one of the best hospitals in upstate New York.  She had a long ways of studying to go before she would become a registered nurse, but the chance to intern would only enhance her knowledge, working hands on.  She immediately drove over to her parents to celebrate the news.

But a foreign car and two military officials stood in the driveway.

That was Anna’s luck.  Something good followed by something so horrible.  She tried to look at life as the glass half full, not empty like her mother always told her.  But at times, when the hurt was fresh, she couldn’t.  Life was full of setbacks, of inevitable experiences.  People moved away, loved ones passed on, plans went unfinished.

It was a part of life.

She sighed heavily.  Just hours ago, she had been happy.  So completely happy.

——-

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday my dear peaches..” She scrunched up her nose and laughed at Harry’s off key singing.  “Happy birthday to you!“ Harry raised his brows expectantly at her as he held the chocolate frosted cake that she had helped him bake.  “Go ahead, love.  Make a wish.”

It was technically his birthday but they were going to be apart for hers, which was the following day.  She had switched shifts with one of the other nurses so she could spend the entire day with him.  They spent the first half of the day celebrating his, eating the cake she baked for him and playing strip poker that he easily beat her at.  They snuggled up on her sofa while watching an action packed film of his choice, not one complaint from her.

Now they were spending the second half of the day celebrating hers.  Anna had stayed in the kitchen supervising him and instructing him on how to properly bake a cake he insisted on making for her.  While it was in the oven, they watched a chick flick of her choice but Harry quickly learned he could always persuade her to make out with him like teenagers to get out of something he didn’t want to do.

“Hmm,” she shut her eyes, her lips rubbing together deep in thought.  She could hear Harry tapping his foot impatiently and a smile graced her features.  “What to wish for.. what to wish for..”

Harry clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes.  “Okay, we both are not getting any younger here, Grandma.”

Anna opened her eyes and shot him a dirty look.  “Speak for yourself, grouch.”  She took a breath and nodded.  “Okay,” she leaned forward, gathering her hair in one hand to keep away from the messy frosting, and blew out the two candles that said ‘29’.  She glanced up and smiled sweetly.  “Happy?”

Harry stuck his tongue out at her and she laughed as she plucked the two candles and licked the frosting from them.  Harry’s lips twitched, a glint in his blue orbs causing Anna to start to back away.  But it was too late.  He tilted the cake and pushed it forward, smothering her face.  “Now I’m happy.”

Anna stood there speechless, mouth hanging open as frosting slid down her face and onto her hardwood floor.  Harry laughed loudly, dashing to get away before she could react.  He made it safely into her kitchen before he heard her screech  “Henry Wales! Your ass is so mine, you asshole!”

She stomped over to him as he held his sides, his boisterous laugh filling the flat.  He turned away from her, hunched over as he braced himself for the blows.  She smacked his arm repeatedly, the cake still dripping off her face.  “We slaved over this fucking oven for hours! I can’t stand you.”

Harry cackled.  “Ah, come on, love.” She gave him a look of death.  He swiped some of the chocolate frosting from her face and licked it off, Anna’s insides heating up at the sight.  She bit her lip when he winked at her and her anger melted away.  But she was quick to recover, grabbing his face and rubbing the cake all over his, whatever she could reach.  Harry didn’t protest, just chuckled as his arms wrapped around her waist, tugging her closer to him.  WIth her chest pushed up against his, he ducked his head and swiped his tongue across her sugary lips.  “Mm, yum.”

Anna blushed, hugging Harry tighter.  She stared up at his mesmerizing eyes, feeling like the luckiest girl in the world to have him, to be his.  Her birthday was usually hard for her, especially as the years dragged on.  For the past few birthdays, she had spent it alone, usually taking up extra shifts to keep her mind off of it.  And even though it was a quiet day, just the two of them, she felt blessed and she couldn’t have asked for a better birthday with him.  He made everything better.  “I love you.”

He kissed her softly, hearing the sincerity and emotion behind her words.  “I love you, peaches.”

When it was time to exchange gifts, Anna became jittery.  She sat on the couch, waiting for Harry to return with hers that he kept in her music room.  Her hands wringed together as she stared at the small neatly wrapped box that was for him.

Shit.  What if he hates it? Is it not enough? Or is it too much?

“Here we go, birthday girl.” Harry came around to sit beside her with three boxes that were perfectly stacked, arranged by size, all wrapped together by a red bow.  She gave him an accusing look.  “What?” When Anna gestured to the professionally wrapped gifts, Harry smirked.  “I’m good, aren’t I?”

“Yeah, okay.” She rolled her eyes, scooting closer to him.

“I may or may not have had a little help from Kate and Zara.” He wiggled his eyebrows.  “Wanna open yours first?”

Anna shook her head in response.  “It’s technically your birthday..”

“Yes, right.  You stole my thunder.  How could I forget?” He chuckled and kissed her pouty lips.  “Kidding, darling.” Harry took a deep breath and held out her gifts in front of him.  “Ladies first.”

Anna grinned.  “Such a gentleman.”

He shrugged jokingly.  “Yeah well, you know how I do.”  Gesturing for her to continue, she bit her lip and carefully untied the bow.  She started with the top box, unwrapping slowly.  “Oh, for the love of God, Annalisa.  What’d I say about not getting any younger? I swear you live to drive me mad.”

Anna giggled.  “I won’t deny it’s great fun.” When she got most of the wrapping out of the way, a huge grin formed.  “Harry,” she gushed.  “You didn’t.”

He leaned forward to help her with the remaining presents, revealing a karaoke set that could be used with her playstation.  “I did.”

She was in awe.. absolute awe.  To somebody else, it would be a humorous gift, something fun.  But to her.. to them.. it was so personal and thoughtful.  She looked at the proud smile he wore and cradled the side of his smooth face in one hand.  “This is incredible.  Thank you, baby.  I love it.” She pecked his mouth a few times, relishing in the moment.

“You’re welcome.  I thought, ya know, you could use some practice if you ever want to be on the same level as me.”  She pinched his arm.  “Ow!” Harry rubbed the sore spot, eyeing her in mock anger.

“Psh, you wish you could sing as good as me.” Harry opened his mouth to protest but Anna hurriedly interrupted him.  “Your turn!” He narrowed his eyes at her before he caught the slight shake of her hands as she handed him his present.

He tore through the wrapping like an excited little kid during Christmas morning and smiled wide when he saw a brand new iPod.  “Wow, Annalisa.”

“Here, open it.” She reached over to help him open the box and took the device out of its confinement.

“Baby, you didn’t have to do this.  It’s too much.”

She shook her head.  “It’s nothing, really.  You mentioned needing an upgraded one so.. now you have it.  I set it up for you already cause we know how you love to pretend to be technology savvy.”

“What?!”

Anna ignored him.  “You’re already connected when you’re here and I have some music on it.  I’ll show you how to import your songs.”

He squinted.  “I know how to import my songs, thank you very much.” Then he made a face.  “Is that where you connect the thing with the thing?”

She chuckled, shaking her head.  “You’re something else, Wales.” Harry watched as she tapped the screen a couple times before a list of songs appeared.  “I made you a playlist.” His heart melted at the slight blush that crept on her cheeks.

“A playlist?” He scanned through the songs, his smile getting bigger.  We’re Going Home, Some Nights, Save The Last Dance For Me, Hurt So Good, Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me For Me).  All songs that were personal to them.  Songs that were part of milestones in their relationship.  And then there were songs that she recorded, her name being listed as the artist.  

“Anna, wow.  Thank you.”  He couldn’t wait to hear those, her voice always soothing him.

“You like it?” She whispered, nervously.

“I love it, baby.”

“You sure?” He stood up, taking her hands in his and lifting to her feet.

He pressed play on a random song.  “Absolutely.  Now dance with me.”

They spent the rest of the evening dancing and testing out her new karaoke equipment, laughing and having a great time together.  When the clock struck midnight, Harry popped open the bottle of champagne that was chilled in her refrigerator and wished her her first official Happy Birthday.

And it was.

The next morning, she woke up to Harry’s hands caressing her as he whispered another “Happy Birthday” against her ear.  They started off the morning by making sweet love and after they were both satisfied, they shared the shower together and Anna watched Harry dress in his uniform before he had to head out to work.

And minutes after his departure, she got the urgent page from the hospital.

——————-

Harry grumbled, the obnoxious buzzing rousing him from sleep.  He could barely open his tired eyes as he reached over and grabbed his phone.  “‘ello?” He instantly heard the sniffle from the other end and woke up.  “Anna?”

“Yeah.” Her voice sounded so small, so lost.

“Baby, what’s wrong? What time is it?”

“Early.. or late.” He tore his phone from his ear to quickly check the time and noted it was 2:32am.  “Sorry I woke you.” Her voice was distant and he was worried.

“Don’t be, love.  What happened? Are you okay?” He propped himself on one arm, cringing when his leg throbbed as he shifted in bed.  She was silent, trying to calm herself mentally before responding.

“I..” She screwed her eyes up, the pain of having to say the words becoming unbearable.  “My.. One of my.. little birds.. got his wings.”

A sharp intake of breath could be heard from him.  “Oh baby.” She choked back a sob.  “I’m so sorry, my love.”

Anna couldn’t hold back any longer, the sound of his hoarse voice causing her to come undone as she allowed the tears to fall freely down her pale cheeks.  “Harry.. I can’t.. I can’t.”

“Where are you right now? Are you home?”

Anna looked around at the stall she was hiding herself in.  “No,” she hiccuped.

“Do you want me to get you?” Her heart ached as concern laced his voice.  “I can call a car, meet you there.  Or I can meet you at your flat.  Or-”

“Harry.”

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, throwing the covers off of him and he continued to babble.  “if you prefer—”

“Harry.”

“..to  just drive around for awhi-”

Anna snapped.  “Harry, please! Stop.  Just.. stop!” Harry’s eyes widened in surprise.  She had never been short with him like that before.  She sighed, feeling awful immediately.  “Shit, I’m sorry.  I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you like… that.”

He cleared his throat.  “Don’t, it’s alright.” He paused before asking, “You okay?”

She wiped her tears and puffed out a breath, shaking her head.  “No.”

He proceeded with caution.  “Where are you?”

“Restroom.” She wanted to pour her heart out, not wanting to shut him out.  She was the one that had called him after all, waking him up from his rest.  “I’m sorry, Harry.  I know you’ve been flying all day and I woke you up.. I just..”

Harry lay a hand over his chest, the anguish in her voice wounding him.  “Annalisa, don’t ever apologise for something like this.  You can wake me at any hour, for anything.” He bit his lips, unsure of what to do.  “What do you need?”

Anna felt a stab in the chest at his whispered question, knowing she had hurt him.  “I need..” What did she need? She needed to be in his arms.  She needed him.  “..you.”

Harry’s eyes slid shut at her confession, the ache in his chest even more present.  “You have me, Annalisa.”

She wanted to cry, wanted to burst into tears.  But she swallowed instead.  “Can you just.. stay on the phone with me for five more minutes? I have to make my rounds in a bit.”

He fell back on the bed, his feet still planted on the cool floor and looked up at the high ceiling.  “Of course.  I’m here, sweetheart.”

 

———————————

Anna wasn’t sure what made her walk into the chapel.  She hadn’t set foot into it since she had been given a tour of the hospital when she first started.  She didn’t know what was happening, her mind preoccupied, when she found herself standing behind the closed doors.  But she pushed herself in and instantly felt the warmth of an invisible hug around her.

She took a shallow breath, the tightness in her throat intensifying, as she dragged her tired body over to the back pew, slowly sitting on the hard bench.  She fought tears, so tired of allowing herself to be so weak.. so broken.

Her eyes caught glimpse of the painting that was tucked in a corner of the quiet chapel.  Two children cuddled close together, their barefeet carrying them safely across a rickety bridge.  An angel with a warm glow about her guiding them.  A pang of nostalgia filled her.  She had a framed replica of it stored in a box back at her parents.  It had been home on her wall in the townhouse she shared with Ben many years ago, a treasure that her mother had passed onto them as a reminder of an angel always guiding them when she couldn’t be with them.

She had always been a believer of God, of guardian angels and things happening for a reason.  But after Ben being ripped away from her, from their family, her faith had been shaken.

She couldn’t find reasoning behind it, no matter how hard she searched for it.

She slid to a kneeling position, lacing her fingers together and bowing her head, licking her dry and chapped lips.  She did something she hadn’t done in what felt like ages.  She said a little prayer.  A prayer for forgiveness, for guidance in restoring her faith.  A prayer for her brother’s soul, for healing within her family.  And as tears formed, she said a prayer for Philip.. for his soul to be at peace, free from the pain and sorrow he had suffered for too long.

Philip had been the sweetest little boy that melted her heart on her first day at Great Ormond.  He was her first patient.  She talked sweetly to him, earning his trust immediately and he had encouraged her to sing to him to ease his nerves while she prepped him for numerous tests.

Anna felt her heart shatter as the image flashed in her memory.

Wide crystal blue eyes stared up at her, a hopeful smile gracing his innocent features, two front teeth missing.  His messy brown hair that hadn’t started to fall yet.  His soft voice and his precious giggle.

A giggle that she would never get to hear again.  A giggle his devastated parents would never hear from their only child.

Anna leaned her heavy head on her folded hands as her body shook with quiet sobs.

His parents.  A childless mother and father.  Who will never get the chance to watch their son grow to be the man he was meant to be.  A mother and a father who spent their life savings to get their son better, to get their son the best care they could.

She would never forget the sight of them holding his hands, whispering their comforting words as he let go.  The memory of their grief stricken faces witnessing his last breath, the last beat of his sweet heart.  And how they had stayed that way for twenty minutes, their eyes fixated on his face, praying and hoping to see his blue eyes once more.

A mother and father who had to leave the halls without holding his tiny hand, making their way back home.

Home.

The place where Philip’s bedroom was.  The place where he learned to walk his first steps, say his first words.  The place that his laughter sounded in, where they were a family.  Now they had to walk through their front door without him, an incomplete family.

She couldn’t subside her heaving sobs as they grew louder, echoing in the dimmed chapel.

——————————

The early morning hours dragged on, the somber environment lasting throughout her shift.  At exactly 6:00am, she listed off the conditions of her patients to the nurse that was taking over, going over the charts.  At exactly 6:08am, she paused at Philip’s now empty room, glancing at the newly made bed, before shuffling her aching feet to the locker room to gather her belongings.  And at exactly 6:35am, she made her way through the revolving doors and out into the sunny morning.  She quickly looked up and noticed the cloudless skies, the blue reminding her of a certain brave little boy’s.  Birds were chirping, pedestrians were going about their daily business, and the faint siren sounds were heard from afar.

Life was already moving on.

She took a few calming breaths and started to walk towards the crosswalk to make her way home.  But a tall figure stood leaning against a lamp post, holding a latte.  Anna stopped short when she recognized the fiery locks that peeked underneath the cap.

Harry.

Her once sore feet were now pounding against the pavement as she made a dash for him. She jumped into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck as he lifted her off the ground in a tight embrace, careful not to drop her latte.  Neither one of them uttered a word and Anna was grateful for that.  She didn’t need to hear words, she didn’t want that. She just needed the comfort of his presence.  It was more than enough for her.

And at exactly 6:40am, Anna could breathe again.


	15. How The Public Found Out

_The smoke choked her as she coughed, waving her arms about to squint through the darkness.  Her eyes burned, her feet ached as she pushed on through, climbing through what seemed to be rubble. She didn’t have a clue as to where she was or what she was searching for.  All she could go by were her senses._

_A loud explosion was heard from her left side as she threw herself to the ground for cover.  She was startled when she heard the low groans from a man not too far from where she lay.  She tried to get up but she was caught on something, her foot not budging.  Another explosion.  More groans.  Her further struggle to break free._

_“Annalisa..” She whipped her head around but was only met with blackness all around her.  She tried to speak but her voice didn’t seem to work.  ”Annalisa..” Panic filled her chest, suffocating her._

A crashing noise jolted her awake.  Grumbles and hushed curses could be heard from another room, followed by running water. A sweet aroma filled the air, twitching her nose. Anna glanced at the clock and noticed she had been sleeping for a little over an hour. Her eyes slightly burned from the massive amount of crying and lack of sleep. Exhaustion and grief briefly paralyzed her as she lay in the comfort of being tangled up in her sheets.

“Fuck!” She heard Harry cuss and grew curious after another crash.  Anna rubbed her tired eyes before throwing the covers off of her and crawling out of the warm bed, her toes curling at the chill from the cold wood.

As she wandered to the center of all the ruckus, the scent became stronger as did the sizzling sounds of bacon, her empty stomach growling and her mouth watering.  She found Harry hovering over the stove, a spatula in one hand as his other held the handle of the frying pan he was using to cook the bacon.  Her heart melted and her eyes brimmed with grateful tears.

She didn’t know what she did to deserve such a wonderful man; a man that got up at the crack of dawn to meet her after she had snapped at him when he was trying to be helpful.  But there he stood with a mocha latte, her favorite, after his own grueling schedule and being woken up from a deep sleep.  A man who hugged her tight, gave her time to silently grieve her loss as he lay with her in bed.  A man who rubbed her back and said no words, knowing she didn’t want to hear the words because he knew there were none that would change anything.  None that could bring back the loss of an innocent little boy.

And now here he was.  Attempting to not cause a fire in her kitchen as he slaved over the stove, cooking her a standard breakfast.  Her lips lifted up to a half smile as she glanced around and noted the mess he had made.  A bowl with remnants of pancake batter with various pots and dishes were piled up in the sink.  Her counters had a dusting of flour with the occasional batter that was splattered about.

“Bloody hell!” Harry switched the burner off, quickly moving the smoking frying pan to an unoccupied burner to shake off the heated grease that had splashed on him.  “Shit,“ he brought his finger to his mouth.

A giggle escaped her and as soon as the sound made it to Harry’s ears, he whipped around to face her.  He was greeted by a watery smile, and her disarrayed curls from her tossing and turning.  He grinned sheepishly and waved the spatula at her. "Hi.”

She whispered a soft hi back and opened her arms when Harry tossed the spatula in the sink with the rest of the dirty dishes and made his way around the breakfast bar that separated them.  She wrapped her arms around his waist as he hugged her by her shoulders.  She lifted her head that rested on his chest and looked up at him.  He studied her, searching for any signs of what she needed from him.  ”How are you feeling, love?”

She sighed and tightened her hold on him.  ”Tired.” He smoothed her curls, cradling the back of her head while leaning down to kiss her softly.  Their lips lay pressed together for a few moments, just enjoying this private moment after a tough day and night.  Anna was the first to break the contact, peering behind him. "Did you do all this for me?”

Harry shrugged. "Well, technically it’s for both of us.  I’ve only got a few hours before I have to head back to base.” Her eyes shifted back to his and he could immediately see the look of disappointment. "I know, I’m sorry.  I’m doing some night flying and it’s sort of tricky to get out of that.” He threaded his fingers in her hair to gently massage her aching head, Anna’s eyes fluttering shut at the soothing sensations.

“Harry, you don’t have to be sorry.  I know you have work.” She purred when he began to knead the muscles in her neck.

“Do you go back tonight?”

“No, forcing me to take tonight off.” She licked her lips and moaned, Harry’s hands causing tingles to run through her. “Mm, that feels nice.“

The familiar twitch in his pants couldn’t be helped with the sound of her husky voice, moaning from his ministrations. With a self satisfied grin, he ducked his head and kissed the corner of her mouth sweetly before he cringed as a stabbing pain was felt on his finger.  He tore his hands away from her and looked at the burn that was forming on his skin.

Harry lifted up his wound and pouted.  ”I got a booboo.”

Anna let out a hearty laugh, holding his large hand in her tiny one.  ”Aw, my baby has a booboo?” He nodded, his bottom lip folding over his top dramatically.  ”Does Nurse Anna-“

“Nurse Peaches.”

She giggled.  ”Right, does Nurse _Peaches_ have to kiss it better?” He wiggled his eyebrows, causing her to chortle.  She brought her lips to the blotchy pink skin and placed a gentle kiss.  Harry then pointed to his cheek, turning his head slightly to the left.  She smiled and obliged, kissing his cheek.

“Much better.”

“Silly monkey.” Harry tickled her side as she squirmed away from him.  “Harry!“ He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up by one arm, bringing her flush against him.  She could feel the growing erection against her and smirked.  “Is _that_ for me too?”

Harry winked, a cocky smirk gracing his face.  ”Mm, I believe so, my love.” His eyes darkened when she shifted her body, her arms around his neck, the friction hardening his cock further.  He groaned when she repeated the action.  ”Annalisa, if you don’t stop now..”

Anna lifted up her brows in question.  ”If I don’t stop now, what?” She threaded her fingers in his locks before swiping her tongue across his lips.

“Baby..” He pushed his lust aside, recalling the state she was in before she fell asleep.  She crashed her lips to his hungrily, meshing them together.  She clung to him, desperate to feel him take control and occupy her mind.  ”Are you sure? We don’t hav-“

Anna shushed him with another hungry kiss.  ”I need you, Henry..” It was all he needed to hear as he captured her mouth in his, tongues sliding wetly as their hands wildly pulled at clothes, searching for skin.  ”Please.. just make me feel good..” Harry moved them back towards the sofa, planting her feet on the floor long enough to strip her of the black boyshorts and tank top she wore, while she hurriedly removed his shirt and pajama pants.

“Annalisa.. shit, baby.” He raised her up and set her bottom on the edge of the sofa, pushing her legs open to fit in between them.  With one arm behind her back to support her, his other went for her heaving chest, kneading her breast and rolling the tip of her nipple.

Anna threw her head back, hissing out a drawn yes as he continued to twist and pinch her erect nipple.  He brought his mouth to suck it in his mouth, his tongue laving at her.  Her hands pulled on his fiery locks, firing him up as his free hand roughly grabbed at her thigh.  ”Please make me feel good..” He moved to pay the same attention to her other nipple and Anna locked her legs around him.

“Hold onto me, peaches.” His hoarse voice made her grow wetter than ever before.  She clung tighter to him, her fingers sliding from his hair to dig her nails in his shoulder blades as he supported her weight.  With her bottom barely on the sofa, Harry entered her in one swift motion.

“Oh so fucking good..” He dropped his head forward, her walls already milking his dick as he pushed himself deeper, filling her up.  She squeezed around him over and over, causing Harry to grunt and falter in his controlled movements. “Fuck me harder..“

Harry growled, pulling out of her but before she could whimper in protest, he set her back on the ground and turned her around.  She placed her hands on the sofa, biting her lip as his hands roughly grabbed at her thighs, opening them up so he could feel the wetness there from how aroused she was.  ”So fucking wet, you’re dripping.. fuck.”

She gasped when he slid into her from behind, and didn’t hesitate to push back on him.  Harry began to thrust at a feverish pace, his breathing come out in harsh puffs as he pounded into her.  ”Is this what you wanted, peaches?” He leaned to whisper harshly against her ear, his words coming out choppy.

Anna cried out, begging him to go faster, to go harder.  She needed this, needed to forget about everything but Harry and the things he was doing to her body.  He scratched at her thighs, pushing deeper and harder.  ”Like this, baby?”

“Yes, fuck.. please.”

The sound of skin slapping against skin, their moans and cries of bliss filled the air.  When Harry reached to rub the nub that made her come undone, he instantly felt her walls contract around him as she screamed out her release.  He followed suit, biting down on her shoulder as he did, filling her up with every drop he had to offer.

He straightened up and turned her face to his to place an affectionate kiss on her pink lips.  ”You okay?”

She smiled reassuringly at him, kissing him again in reply.

——

“I have a surprise for you.”

She was curious, he could tell by the expression she wore as he took her hand and led her to her music room.

“A surprise? Cold pancakes and extra, extra crispy bacon wasn’t it? Sofa sex?”

Harry chuckled.  ”Psh, that was all for me, darling.” She stuck her tongue out at him and he did the same before turning serious.  ”Now this I did for you.” The door creaked open slowly and he guided them into the room.  Anna gasped in surprise and in awe.

He painted her wall.  An endless array of colors sprinted it’s way across the wall, ranging from vivid pinks and light blues. A manifold of colorful birds specked it’s way across the rainbow of colors, around the forms of white clouds.  There was the beginnings of a sunset, and it brought such a warmth glow to the room.. and to Anna’s heart.

“Harry,” she gushed, marveling at the mural.  She gripped his hand tighter in her grasp.  “When did you have time to do all this?“

He shuffled his feet to stand directly behind her as they both studied the fresh painting.  He whispered in her ear, “I’m a man of many mysteries.” She chuckled and leaned back on him as his arms came round to hug her to him.  ”It’s not quite finished, obviously but..” He nuzzled her hair, breathing in the peach scent and felt his stomach flutter.  He prayed she would always have that effect on him.  ”I wanted to leave you a piece of happy before I had to head back out again until the weekend.”

“Wow, this is.. absolutely.. amazing, Harry.  It’s so beautiful, I love it.” Anna cocked her head up to look at him, smiling ear to ear as her hypnotic eyes met his.  “I love you.. so much.“

Harry pecked her mouth.  ”I’m sorta fond of you… I guess.” He snickered when she scrunched up her nose at him.  ”I love you, baby.”

She smiled and puckered her lips for another kiss, Harry obliging as he laughed lightly.  ”Thank you.. for everything.”

—-

“Get some sleep, bluebird.” Anna tapped the little girl on the nose, winking when she saw the sleepy grin.  She turned to the girl’s mum who was getting the cot ready that Anna had found for her, fixing the blankets and pillows to get comfortable.  “Looking good.  I’ll be back in to check on her fluids in a bit but you should get some rest for now.“

The haggard woman nodded and smiled tiredly, looking older than being in her late twenties from the constant stress and worry.  Anna wished her a well night and turned to go with the chart in one hand but was stopped short when a hand grasped hers tightly.

“Thank you.” Anna shook her head, but the woman continued.  “For the place to sleep and for making my little angel smile during.. all of this.“

Anna smiled warmly, swallowing back the tears, and squeezed her hand in reassurance.  She glanced at the now sleeping little girl and her smile widened.  ”She’s perfect.  So full of life and energy.  She keeps me smiling.” Her misty eyes shifted back to the girl’s mum who pulled her into a gentle hug.

“We couldn’t have asked for a more welcoming place.”

They hugged for another moment before pulling away.  ”If you need anything, anything at all, don’t hesitate to buzz us.”

Anna walked towards the Nurses Station while documenting her recent actions of her latest rounds.  She rested the charts on the counter and leaned forward to lay her head on the cool surface, resting her blurry eyes.  She felt a presence come up next to her and groaned, knowing it was Lily by the signature flowery scent of hers.  "What time is it?”

Her head snapped up when a stack of magazines were tossed beside her, startling her.  ”Time to tell me I was right about you and the Prince.  I _knew_ it! I’ve been saying it for weeks and Paul kept giving me the nutty looks.  You and,” she lowered her voice, leaning in so only them two could hear, “ _Prince Harry_.”

“What? What the hell are you yapping about?” Lily gestured towards the stack of papers with big headlines.

_**Prince Harry’s new brunette girlfriend** _

_**Prince Harry and new love embrace outside hospital** _

_**Harry and Nurse: serious talks of marriage after just months of dating** _

_**Blondes may have more fun, but it’s a brunette who’s doing it better for Prince Harry** _

Her heart was beating erratically and her palms began to sweat.  Lily was speaking to her but she couldn’t hear a word as the blood pounded in her ears.  Harry had made sure she was ready for this before they threw caution to the wind.  And she was ready for it.  But now seeing the words on several papers, and god knows all over the internet, everything that Harry had warned her about.. was right there.

This was real.  And it was only the beginning.

“Lily..”

“Oh my god! Just wait until I get my hands on that husband of mine! Oh, I had hoped for this when Paul came home that night and told me you two were chatting up.  Paul’s always spoke quite highly of him and you just seem like the perfect match..”

“Lily..”

“I just _knew_ **it! How long has this been going on? Have you shagged him yet? Oh, please tell me you have.”**

“Lily!”

Her fellow nurse shut her mouth and looked apologetic at Anna.  ”Oh bloody hell, I’m so sorry, love.” She rested a hand on her shoulder.  ”Are you alright? You look quite pale, dear.”

Anna took a few quick deep breaths, calming her nerves.  ”Okay… Okay.” She kept chanting softly, ignoring the concerned looks from Lily as she stared at the clear photos of her and Harry in a tight cuddle outside of the hospital.  ”Okay, yeah.  I mean, this is it..”

“Annalisa..”

She averted her eyes and Lily choked back a laugh at the frantic look.  ”Oh, honey.  You look petrified!” She closed in on her and the two stood there in the empty halls in a comforting embrace.  ”Do you need some tea?”

Anna shook her head.  ”No, thanks.. I’m okay, really.  Just in a state of..”

“Shock?”

They both giggled.  ”Yeah, I guess you could say that.” She looked to the photos again and sighed.  A smile formed on her lips when she really studied the couple in them, looking beyond who they were and focusing on what it was.  Two people locked in a tight, warm embrace.  A man comforting the woman he loves in plain sight, uncaring of passerby’s during the early morning hours.  Dark hair visible as her face hid in his neck, while his hair was hidden by the cap he wore, his head leaning on hers.

“Harry.” She gushed.  Lily pat her shoulder in response, also peering down with a genuine smile.

“Oh, you two look cozy and adorable.”

Anna grinned.  ”Yeah.”

“Goodness, look at you! All in loove!” The two locked arms as Anna blushed and refused to gossip.

Hours later, she strolled into the locker room and sighed in relief.  Throughout the night, the hospital staff had mixed emotions as they passed by her in the halls.  Some smiled and offered sweet words while others turned their noses at her.  She wasn’t sure what to make of that, not wanting to make it seem like it bothered her.  And it didn’t.. that much.

She opened her locker and dug through her bag to pull out her phone. She quickly tapped her passcode and was greeted with several missed calls, a few voicemails and an obsessive amount of text messages.  ”Jesus.”

She scanned the list of missed calls and rolled her eyes. Mom. Kathie. Gabe. Mom. Gabe. Gabe. Kathie. Gabe. Grandma? Really, grandma?

She ignored the voicemails and went straight to her text messages.  She checked to see if Harry had messaged her since their brief conversation this morning. She opened up their conversation and smiled, reading back on the latest messages.

**Harry** _: Good morning peaches.. I won’t be available much.. spending hours cramped up in the apache_

**Anna:** _That’s nurse peaches to you... and you tell that apache who’s boss_

**Harry:** I _am pretty dominant_

**Anna:** _don’t I know it_

**Harry** _: Is that a complaint? Let’s rewind and discuss a few instances where you were clearly enjoying yourself_

A blush rose up on her cheeks from her chest as she skimmed through the following messages, words like  _suck_ and  _licked_ and  _thrust_ boldly staring at her.

 **Anna:** _well now I'm horny and no boyfriend around to remedy that...  
_

**Harry:** _Shit this backfired.. missing you_

**Anna:** _Miss you too, captain.. come home to me soon.. I’m lonely in this big bed without you_

**Harry:** _When'd you get so naughty? i like it_

**Anna:** _lol get to work, have a good day.. love you_

**Harry** _: love you baby be good_

Annalisa sighed, missing him deeply. There were no messages from him since that. She knew there were many contacts to get back to, to ease their minds that she was fine, but all she wanted was to talk to Harry. She wanted to hear his comforting words, wanted to pick his brain, valuing his opinion and take on things now that they were stories being written about them. She wondered if he knew but then shook the thought aside, knowing he would have contacted her if he did.

She bit her lips nervously and typed out a reply to a group message of her brothers, parents, and grandma.

_I’m okay, guys. Can’t talk now, I’ll call you later._

Then she went to the next group message and she smiled at the surprise.  Maggie, Beth and Liv sent her a group message.

**Maggie** _: Hey girl, we just wanted to show you our support._

**Liv** _: If you need anything give us a ring._

**Beth** _: That includes kicking his arse for fucking up._

**Maggie** _: We need to do lunch, asap._

**Liv** _: Text us your schedule so we can arrange something._

**Beth** _: Hope you’re well!_

Anna felt.. loved.  They were quickly becoming friends and she was grateful for that.

**Anna** _: Hey guys, sorry for the late response.  Just getting out of work now and thank you so much for the messages.  I’m free for lunch for the rest of the week.  Harry’s on base until the weekend so until then, all yours_

**Beth** _**:** Oh sure, kick us to the curb when your man gets back in town._

**Maggie** _: Don’t hate just because you’re jealous, B_.

**Liv:** _Ladies, let’s not scare off Anna right from the start.  Gradually show your crazies._

**Anna:** _LOL_ _You guys are seriously the best.  Thank you.  Lunch this week?_

All at once, replies of tomorrow sounding good came through and Anna was ecstatic.  She was looking forward to girl time where she could talk freely about Harry, not worried about any of them babbling to the press.

As she was walking through the doors to the fresh air, she immediately caught eye of two men with cameras around their necks.

Fuck.

Too stunned to react with the first few flashes, she stood frozen like a deer caught in headlights.  After a couple moments, she gathered herself together and made her way to the curb to hail a taxi, all the while ignoring their pestering.

When she was settled into the back of the cab, her phone buzzed.  Harry and his impeccable timing.

**Harry** _: Are you okay?? Just heard the news._

**Anna:** _I’m fine... a little weirded out cause it’s all so new to me but I’m good. Had two admirers waiting for a picture when I got out. That was interesting to say the least.  
_

**Harry:** _Fuck I’m sorry, peaches._

**Anna:** _What? No, Harry.  I’m fine, really. Just a tad pissed that they caught me after 12 hours lol Where were they before my shift started? I looked fresh then._

**Harry:** _Ha! You’re beautiful._

**Anna:** _Okay, suck up._

**Harry:** _Gotta go baby... I was just checking up on you, making sure I still got a girlfriend after today._

**Anna:** _I love you.  I’m not going anywhere._

**Harry:** _Congratulations, you just became a royal girlfriend._

**Anna:** _As long as I get to keep my Prince Charming, I’ll be alright._

**Harry:** _Always.  Love you, be good._

**Anna:** _Always.. except when you’re around_

**Harry:** _I do have this habit of turning you into a bad girl.. many kisses_

Anna leaned back in her seat after turning her screen off and sighed. She turned to gape out the window as the reality sunk in. Her personal life was about to change. She hoped to god her professional wouldn’t be affected by it. Chewing on her lip, she thought back to the dirty looks she had received already.

And then there was her family, who she had been avoiding for awhile now. They had questions, concerns... _comments_. She didn’t have the heart to tell them off, so instead she found herself dodging their calls and responding their messages with quick two word answers. But she knew she couldn’t avoid them any longer.

She had Harry to guide her through this. They had her.


	16. How They Continue to Date

Annalisa wiggled her toes in the comfort of Harry’s socks as she stirred the sugar into her hot tea.  The heavy rain was the only sound that could be heard, the splattering against the window pane keeping her company.  She had always been fond of the rain and thought back to a time when one Christmas her mother had gotten her a sleep sound machine.  She wore the device out, keeping it on the spring showers setting as she read in bed or strummed the chords of her guitar.  She glanced at the clock above the stove, the glow of the red numbers informing her of the early hour.

3:39AM

Her lashes lowered as she drew a breath and blew it out slowly, envisioning the tension and stress being released along with it.  The darkness and confusion of her dreams plagued her, becoming increasingly bothersome.  It had reached the point where it was nearly impossible to shake off when she awoke.

“ _Annalisa_..”

The whispered plea resounded in her head as she recalled what had startled her to come out of a deep slumber.  She remembered a cloud of smoke suffocating her, having to cover her mouth and nose with the torn shirt she wore.  Her eyes burned from it, preventing her to keep them open for too long.  “ _Annalisa_..”

The voice was familiar but she couldn’t pinpoint how she knew it.  All she had was a blurred face of a man when she thought hard and searched through her memories.

A clap of thunder and a husky voice behind her jolted her from her thoughts, her eyes popping open.

“Annalisa?”

Anna looked over her shoulder and caught sight of a fatigued Harry.  He rubbed his face and stifled a yawn.

“Hey, you startled me.  Did I wake you?”

He shook his head and leaned forward on the counter top, folding his arms to support his weight as he shifted from foot to foot. He looked so adorable she couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped past her lips.  He scowled at her amused chuckle. “Don’t poke fun.”

“My apologies.  You’re just too cute.” He gave her a slight eye roll in response, clearly not in the best of moods from lack of sleep.  “Why aren’t you in bed?“

He sighed, letting out a rather loud yawn, not bothering to hide it.  “Could ask you the same.” He squinted at the clock, his eyes still swollen at the interrupted little sleep he had, and groaned.

“Christ, Anna.. it’s the middle of the bloody night.”

Anna shrugged, lifting the steaming cup with both hands to her lips and took a cautious sip.

“Couldn’t sleep.  Would you like some tea?”

“I would like some sleep.” He murmured.  She would have teased him by calling him a grouch but refrained, feeling awful for being the cause of him being out of bed.

His surprise arrival just a few short hours ago had been a pleasant one.  He wasn’t due for another day home but the look of exhaustion worried her.  Her concern didn’t diminish after he explained he hadn’t had a wink of sleep for over 48 hours from all the crucial fly missions he was assigned to.  She first joined him in a quick shower that consisted of her mostly washing him as he stood under the hot spray, then fixed him a hot meal before climbing into bed for the night.

She cocked her head to one side, an apologetic smile spreading on her lips.  “Aw, baby..”

“You weren’t in bed.” He pouted as his sleepy eyes raked over her, noting she wore just his shirt that went down to above her knees and a pair of his socks.  He wondered what was underneath.

Placing the mug near the sink, she made her way over to him.  She wrapped her arms around his hunched over frame from the side and squeezed affectionately.

“Come on, Captain.. back to bed we go.”

Harry moaned, leaning his head to the side to rest on top of hers.  “Carry me.”

“Carry you? Oh, my darling.  You must be still dreaming if you think I can hold you up.”

“Are you implying that I’ve put on weight? Great, overweight and going bald like Wills.”

Annalisa giggled and gave him a light pinch on the arm.  ”Be nice.”

“I’m always fucking nice.”

“Mhm, sure.. Let’s go.” Harry grumbled as he stood up straight before faltering, letting out a hiss and holding onto the side of his right leg.  “Whoa, are you okay? What happened?“

He kept his eyes shut, breathing through the shooting pain.  ”Ah, fuck.”

“Harry? What is it? What’s wrong?” He could hear the concern laced in her voice but he couldn’t move, couldn’t will his eyes to open as he waited for the pain to ease and turn into the ache he could handle.  “Did you hurt yourself?“

He swallowed, hanging his head and let out a slow breath.  ”Years ago.  I had a minor accident and broke a few bones. It’s healed since but every so often when I’ve overdone myself too much at work, there’s a bloody ache that’s quite the nuisance.”

Anna pressed her lips to the side of his head and played with the short hairs at the back of his neck to create a distraction to the pain he was feeling.  ”My poor baby.  Let me help you to bed and I’ll grab a heating pad.”

Harry held onto his leg as the familiar throb took over and shifted to lean slightly on her small frame.  He smiled sleepily as she supported very little of his weight and they both shuffled and stumbled to bed.  She struggled to turn on the side lamp to illuminate the room in a soft glow so she could properly take care of him at the same time of helping him ease onto the mattress.

Once he was tucked into bed by his own private nurse, an image of her in a skimpy nurse outfit flashed in his mind and Anna laughed at the naughty smirk he gave her.  ”Don’t even think about it, Captain.”

“Too late, Nurse Peaches.” A hand ran smoothly up her bare thigh and stopped when he reached the lace of her panties.

She leaned down to kiss him sweetly.  ”You are one naughty captain.”

“Who’s the naughty one wearing knickers like these?”

“Maybe if you behave yourself and get some sleep, you will be the lucky one taking them off.” With a seductive smile and wink, she sauntered out of the room and searched for the heating pad, leaving an exasperated ginger.

After waiting two minutes for it to heat up in the microwave, she made her way back to her soldier.  ”Okay, Captain Luck-“

The light snoring coming from the bed interrupted her teasing.  The soft light from the lamp cast a shadow on his features and she caught a glimpse of his slightly open mouth, a giggle escaping her.  His brows were furrowed and his forehead creased as if he were in discomfort and Anna tiptoed towards the other side of the bed.  She crawled into bed beside him, careful not to disrupt his slumber.  She cuddled into his side and placed the warm pad on his achy leg.

Willing herself to relax, she snuggled even closer to his warm body and a beaming smile formed on her lips as she thought of spending the next few days with him before he would be needed back at work.

————-

“Whose bright idea was it to go to the beach in the middle of October?” Anna questioned, leaping away from the chilled water that was creeping towards her barefeet as they walked along the shore, hands entwined.

Harry chuckled, tugging her to his side.  ”That would you, genius.”

“It’s freaking cold.”

“Don’t be such a whiney baby.” He stopped and moved in front of her, his back facing her as he bended at the knees slightly.  “Hop on.“

“Are you serious?”

“Come on, don’t be shy.. No one’s watching.” She scanned the beach and saw a few onlookers that were lounging on beach chairs, soaking up the rare sunny day.  She rolled her eyes inwardly and ignored his comment, not bothering to correct him.

“You’re going to drop me.”

“You don’t trust me?” He stood straight and turned to face her, grinning mischievously.  A small smile spread on her lips at the familiar sight of his laugh lines when he squinted through the blinding sun to see her.  “You don’t trust me.“ He stated as a fact rather than a question as before.

Anna’s toes squirmed in the sand as she wringed her fingers together nervously.  ”Not with that look.. The water is cold, Harry.”

“I’ve got you, don’t worry.” He cocked his head to one side and held out his open hand, palm facing towards the cloudless sky.

She arched a brow at his teasing smile.  He wasn’t going to drop it, she knew.  So she sighed and obliged, letting him win this round as she asked him to face forward with a motion of her hand.  ”So help me god if you drop me, Wales..”

“We must work on your trust issues, love.  Have a little faith and jump on my back.. I’ll carry you..” Harry barked out a laugh and faltered forward when she jumped on his back, her arms immediately wrapping around his shoulders.

“Harry!” She screeched as he found his balance.  She held on tight, still apprehensive about the whole scene they were making in front of prying eyes.  “You almost dropped me, you asshole!“

“Give me a little more credit, love.” He hooked his arms back around her legs to lock her in his grip and raised her slightly higher onto his back in a more comfortable position.

“You alright?“ He asked, looking at her sideways.  When her answer came in a soft hum of approval, Harry began the walk to the end of the beach.

Anna could feel the heat coming from him with their bodies flush together, the only thing separating them being her t shirt and short shorts and his swimming shorts.  The ache between her legs was ever present and she tightened her hold on him.  Her lips pressed against his ear as she whispered, “I’ll give you a lot more than just credit if you don’t let go of me.”

The seductive whisper did wild things to his heart as it galloped in his chest. His tongue swept across his lips as an image of her bouncing on top of him in the middle of the sandy beach flashed across his mind.  A twitch inside his swimming shorts went unnoticed to the surrounding company and Harry couldn’t help but think of how he wouldn’t care if anyone saw them in a compromising position.

“You just can’t get enough of me..” She scowled in response.  “I know, I’m just terribly irresistible.. I’d even do me.“

“Well, you’ll be the only one doing you if you keep up with that cocky attitude.”

He smirked.  ”Cocky, yeah? I do believe you… _appreciate_.. my _cock_ iness.”

Anna laughed in spite of herself.  ”You’re impossible.”

“Impossibly cute.”

“Shut up.”

Harry stopped walking ahead and turned towards the water.  ”Sorry? Did you just tell me to shut up?” He slowly made his way into the water, the coldness taking his breath away momentarily.  Anna felt panic rise in her throat when Harry lowered their position when they were a little deeper, the cold water splashing on her toes.

“Ahh it’s fucking freezing! Harry!”

“I don’t hear an apology, Peaches.” He dipped lower, the water level reaching her ankles.

“Harry! Stop!”

“Nope..” He braced himself for what he was about to do, knowing he had to suffer to make her suffer.  But it was worth it.  He figured he could handle it from his recent experience of sleeping in a tent with freezing blizzard conditions.  He walked further into the water until it reached his waist, all the while ignoring Anna’s screams.

“I’m going to fucking kill you if you don’t stop right this instant! Oh my god!” She crawled up higher on his back, choking him unintentionally.  “Fuck, fuck, fuck!“ She hissed as the water lapped around her bottom half.

Harry’s hold on her loosened and he leaned back, threatening her. “Here’s your last chance, Caro.”

“Don’t you dare!”

“Wrong answer.” He unhooked his arms from her legs and gave a small backwards motion to loosen her hold on him, her arms flailing as he dropped her into the coming waves.

He pressed his lips together, waiting until she came back up to the surface before howling with laughter, catching the attention from the other beach goers. Anna sputtered out the mouthful of water and wiped her eyes, removing the wet locks that clung to her face. She could hear Harry’s laughter increase in volume and she narrowed her eyes. “You,” she paused, dramatically, “are so fucking dead.” She made a quick dash for him and Harry knew he was in deep trouble.  But he couldn’t stop laughing long enough to react, the memory of her falling into the water and emerging from it fresh in his memory.  She lunged for him and just as a big wave came crashing around them, she pushed him down into the deep water with her two hands on his head.

He came back up to the surface as quick as he went under. “Shit, that’s cold.”

Anna giggled at his teeth chattering, her own body shivering. “Doesn’t feel nice, does it?”

Harry lifted the side of his mouth up, making his way to her. “Oh, I’ll show you nice.”

“No, no, no!” She pointed at him, backing away slowly. “You stay away from me, Wales. ” She turned to get away but Harry was too quick for her. He grabbed her by the waist and pushed her to him. She was expecting to be pushed down under, just as she had done to him, but instead he ducked down to crash his lips to hers, taking her by sweet surprise.

“Told you I was a nice guy.” He whispered against her mouth before capturing her in another passionate kiss, bringing warmth to them both.

She brought her hands to his hard chest, feeling his goosebumped skin with her cold fingertips. She knew they had an audience, could already see the headlines on several websites and millions of papers the next day.

“Harry,” she tried to pull away but he held her close, his own hands palming her bottom.

“Shh..” He went to kiss her again but she backed away.  He furrowed his brows, starting to think she was really upset with him. “What? Are you pissed at me for dropping you in the water?”

Anna laughed it off, shaking her head. “No, although I will not forget that and you have officially lost my trust.”

He shrugged. “I can handle that.”

She rolled her eyes and gestured to the onlookers with her thumb. Harry smiled. “What? Are you shy?”

“Yes. Well, no. I don’t know!” She swatted his arm when he laughed at her in amusement. “It’s just… There’s going to be pictures and..”

Harry was silent for a moment, taken aback by her answer.  She had been handling the media attention so well so far, making him believe she was completely comfortable, even when she would get the notion of being followed when she’d get to work or be seen coming out of a grocery store.  ”Annalisa, they’re always going to somehow get pictures.  It’s what they do.”

“I know but..” She trailed off, looking at a couple of teenaged girls that had their camera phones out.  She caught sight of Dave making his way over to them.

“But what, Anna? I thought you said you were ready-”

“I _am_ -” She insisted.

He rolled his eyes.  ”Really? Because you have a funny way of showing it.”

“Wait, are we fighting right now?” Her voice turned soft.  “Harry, I didn’t mean to-“

He let out a dry laugh and turned to make way back to shore. “No, of course you didn’t.”

“Hey.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

“What?” She bit her lip, trying to get up the nerve to act out the way she wanted to, already missing the feel of his kiss.  But she just stared at him. “Forget it, Anna.”

He turned to go once more but Anna caught his arm again. This time, when he faced her with his mouth open ready to protest and push her away, she kissed him.  She kissed him with everything she had, with all the emotions that were coursing through her.  She could feel another little piece of herself being handed over to him, another piece of her soul.  The thought of what could happen once she did give him her all crossed the back of her mind before she buried it deeper and pressed her lips hungrily to his.

It took Harry a few seconds to respond, surprise temporarily paralyzing him.  But when he came out of the state of shock, he kissed her back just as hard, just as passionately.  He moaned at the feel of her tongue slipping inside his mouth, tangling his own with hers, fighting for dominance.  He was still peeved at her uncertainty, knowing it wasn’t the last he was going to see of it. But with her hands busily roving over him, he let it go for the time being and enjoyed feeling her own flesh in his hands.

—————-

“People are watching.” He murmured from the side of his mouth.  They were standing in line at the concession stand at the movie theater, waiting for their turn to order snacks.  Only a few people were hanging around since they were catching the late night show on a Wednesday night.  Anna had moved some shifts around to spend Harry’s last few days off before he would return to work to catch up on assignments, his trek creeping up in a few weeks.

She leaned into him more and smiled confidently.  ”Let them watch.” He quirked a brow at her in disbelief.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She nodded, squeezing his side. “I’m on a date with my man. I’d be jealous of me, too.  I am pretty lucky.”

He ducked his head as she reached up to meet his lips halfway. “I’m the lucky one, darling.” He pecked her lips again then gave a small shrug with a half smile. “But I agree.  You’re quite lucky to be seen with a dashing lad as myself.”

Anna rolled her eyes and giggled in response. “Get over yourself.” She realized they were up next and pushed herself away from him, giving him a nudge to go forward.  ”We’re up.”

It had been slightly awkward at first, strolling into the theatre hand-in-hand and waiting at the ticket counter with him.  She gave him a cuddle when she saw his tense jaw set as he readjusted his cap to hide his fairly noticeable ginger locks.  They shared small chitchat, both a little apprehensive ever since their little argument at the beach.  It had made the papers, of course.  But neither of them had uttered a word about it until now when Harry mentioned the onlookers.

Harry had stepped up to the concession stand and ordered a tub of extra buttery popcorn, Anna pulling on his jacket.  ”Light butter for me, please.” The young woman behind the counter smiled as Harry sighed in mock annoyance and ordered her own popcorn.

They situated themselves in the seats closest to the exit with Dave a couple rows in front of them.  The theatre was mostly empty, just a few couples that were situated at the back.  They weren’t too concerned due to the fact that they were too busy snogging to notice Prince Harry and his nurse girlfriend were in the same theatre as them.

The film had been playing for a good forty five minutes before they lost interest in the plot and talked in hushed voices.  Harry had made a joke that caused Anna to snort when she tried to suppress her giggles.

She tossed popcorn sideways and it fell onto his lap.  ”You are the biggest brat I have ever met.” She stuck her tongue out at him childishly and he nodded in mock amusement.  ”Mature, real mature.” Anna responded by dumping the remaining contents of her popcorn tub on his lap, a few landing inside his own bucket.  ”Well now you’re just wasting money.. there are starving children in foreign countries and here you are throwing your food at me.”

“Hey, low blow.  You started it by making fun of me.”

“I wasn’t mocking you, love.  Your snort was cute and lovely.. honest.” Anna rolled her eyes when he started snickering to himself.

“You can’t even keep a straight face, you bugger! Ugh, I hate you.” She turned to face the big screen where the film continued to play.

Harry chuckled as his gaze fixated on her dramatic pout and her crossed arms.  He poked her side in a playful manner and tilted his head to one side.  ”You love me, admit it.”

Anna huffed, slouching further in her seat.  ”I will not admit such a foul thing.”

A wide smile spread on his lips.  Her lips pursed when she saw his cheeky expression from the corner of her eye and she puffed out air to blow a loose curl away that had fallen in her face.  Harry ducked his head and moved her hair back with his nose to bury his face in her neck.  He began snorting softly into her neck, creating giggles from her as she tried to squirm away, her arms untangling and pushing him away playfully.

“Say you love me.” She pressed her lips together tightly in a thin line and shook her head from side to side, her curls bouncing around.  He buried his face in her neck again and nipped her skin.  “Say it.“

“Mm mm..”

Harry began snorting again, imitating a distressed pig and Anna had difficulty keeping her giggles at a low volume, attracting attention being the last thing they wanted.  ”Harry! Stop.”

“Not until you admit that you love me.”

“Okay! I fucking love you, you imbecile.”

He nicked her with his teeth, eliciting an involuntary moan from deep within her chest.  ”Now say I am the sexiest man alive.”

“Okay, now you’re pushing your luck.”

————-

_Click!_

Harry’s eyes shot open at the invasive sound that came along with a flash of light.  He groaned at whatever interrupted his short rest and confusion took over, not remembering laying on the oversized blanket he was on.  The last thing he remembered was Anna fiddling with the guitar she had brought along on their picnic.  He no longer heard the melody she played.

Harry propped his weight on his elbows, jerking his head back to remove the hood he wore.  ”Someone took my picture,” he joked as he stared up at the sky that had started to form dark clouds, casting a shade over the secluded area of the park they had chosen to enjoy quiet time together before meeting up with a few of his mates that were in his squadron that evening.  The smell of the coming rain filled his nostrils, warning him to gather their things and take cover before it started to pour.

 _Click!_ “Had a nice nap, old man?” He whipped his head to the right and grinned.  Anna knelt on the far end of the blanket with a camera in her hands, the guitar laying beside her.

“Mm, sorry to fall asleep on you, love.”

She smiled before lifting the camera up to hide part of her face as she snapped yet another photo of him.

_Click!_

“What are you doing?” He questioned.

“What does it look like I’m doing? Taking your picture.”

“And why are you taking my picture?”

Anna smirked, peeking at him from above the camera.  ”You’ve caught me.. I work for a magazine and I’ve been working undercover..”

“Is that so?”

“Yep..” _Click!_ “I was hired to have you fall madly in love with me and confide in me with all of your secrets so I could air out your dirty laundry..”

He lifted his brows in amusement.  ”It seems as if your plan backfired.”

She cocked her head to one side.  ”Why’s that?”

He scooted closer to her and took the camera from her hands, bringing it up to his own eyes and snapping a photo of her.   _Click!_

“Because…” He tossed the device to the side and grabbed her, Anna squealing in between a fit of giggles.  He laid her gently on the ground and shifted his body to hover above hers.  “You have fallen madly in love with me.“

Anna scrunched up her nose.  ”What makes you so sure that’s true?”

“Easy,” he answered, placing open mouthed kisses on her collarbone.  She threaded her fingers through his hair, sighing in content.  Her eyes slid shut as he trailed his kisses to her neck, nipping the spot behind her ears that created sparks that went down to her toes.  She couldn’t push down the moan that slipped past her lips.

Harry continued his assault on her neck while the hand that had been resting on her thigh ran up her side and palmed her breast over her sweater.  ”Harry..” He squeezed her, eliciting another moan from her before placing his hand on her fast beating heart, lifting his head to peer down at her.

“Your heart races out of control around me.”

She stared back at him with hooded eyes, panting with desire.  Lifting her hand to rest on his chest where his heart beat just as strong, she licked her lips.  ”You’re madly in love with me, too.”

Harry lowered his mouth closer to her parted lips, never breaking eye contact.  ”Yes, I am,” he breathed.

Anna closed the small gap between them.  Their sweet and tender kisses turned quickly hot and hungry as his tongue massaged hers.  Neither of them felt the tiny drops that fell from the darkened sky, too lost in each other to notice anything else.

————

“So..” They stood outside her apartment door, Harry’s hands in his pockets as Anna dug in her bag for the keys.  “You were fucking spectacular this evening.“

She chuckled, jiggling her keys out and singling out the correct one.  ”I know,” she retorted over her shoulder with a wink.

He brought his hands to rest on her shoulders, pushing his front flush against her back.  ”You’ve been practicing your poker face in the mirror, haven’t you?”

She bent forward slightly to rub her bottom in a slow grind against the front of his jeans, her dress skirt riding up to expose the top of her naked thighs.  ”Guilty.”

Harry groaned.  ”Naughty girl.”

“Guilty again.” She thought of the RPO that was discreetly standing in the corner of the far end of the hall, allowing them their privacy.  On a clear sober mind she would have been embarrassed, but with her head slightly buzzed from the wine she had consumed in a short amount of time, the deep blush that heated her cheeks were from want and excitement of what she had in store for him.

Harry loosened his tight hold on her shoulders and ran them down her arms to grab onto her hips, his own moving in sync with her slow grind.  His cock was already hardening and when he caught glimpse of Annalisa chewing on her bottom lip, he knew the friction and the feel of his erection pressed to her back only made her more wet for him.  ”You know what happens to naughty girls, don’t you?” he teased, his husky voice making Anna moan.

“I have an idea or two..” She teased back.  She unlocked the door and pushed it open before turning to face him.  His eyes were glazed over, his head cloudy from the whiskey he drank while they played poker at a mate’s flat.

“Fuck, I’d love to-”

“Ahem..” They both turned towards Dave who had cleared his throat to announce his presence.  He gestured towards her flat and slid past them.

Anna and Harry looked back at each other before bursting into laughter.  They held onto one another, their feet unsteady as their bodies shook in humor.  They weren’t aware how long they had been laughing outside her door but when Dave gave a small nod their way when he walked back out, their laughter only intensified.

After taking a few deep breaths, they collected themselves and stumbled into her place, Anna immediately kicking off her shoes.  ”Oh Jesus, I bet he wishes he got that on tape for blackmail.”

Harry made his way to her fridge, grabbing a water bottle and chugging it down.  After finishing, he took another bottle out and handed it to her.  Anna took a few sips from it before screwing the cap back on.  She gave him a long seductive look.  ”I do have a surprise for you..”

That piqued Harry’s interest as his ears perked up.  ”Hm.. a surprise?”

She nodded.  ”Mhm.. give me a few minutes?” She winked and blew him a kiss before turning in the direction of her bedroom

He refrained from jumping foot to foot in anticipation, knowing it had to do with a bedroom activity by the way she was acting.  He had no clue as to what it was exactly and it was enough to drive him mental.  He wracked his brain for something to occupy his mind, glancing at the coffee table that had her laptop with the top open.  He shuffled his feet towards it and plopped down on her sofa.  Taking the machine out of sleep mode, he was greeted by a couple windows she had left up in her browser.  He opened a new tab and logged into his email.

He cracked his knuckles and stretched out his back before typing out a couple responses.  He heard a ringing sound and stared at the screen in confusion.  Was her laptop ringing? He tapped on a key and another screen popped up with an unfamiliar face.

“What the fuck?”

A guy with short blonde hair that appeared to be in his mid thirties stared back at him in utter disbelief before pointing at him through the screen.  ”Daniel! I’ve got Prince Harry on skype!” He yelled.

“Bollocks,” Harry muttered.


	17. How He First Met Her Family

“What the fuck?”

A guy with short blonde hair that appeared to be in his mid thirties stared back at him in utter disbelief before pointing at him through the screen.  ”Daniel! I’ve got Prince Harry on skype!” He yelled.

“Bollocks,” Harry muttered as Anna’s family gathered around the computer with wide eyes, openly staring at him.  He sat there frozen, hands laying on the keys as he contemplated his next move.  Should he pretend he didn’t see them? Quickly put the top down to the laptop and go on with the night as if this was all a dream? Maybe this _was_ a dream.  A nightmare of some sorts.

“Do you think he can see us?” A woman asked, fluffing her blonde locks.  “How’s my hair?“ She pushed them aside to allow room for her, getting a better glimpse of her reflection from the small box that was in the bottom right corner.

“Who cares? This is the fucker who’s taking my baby sister’s innocence? I’m gonna fuck him up.” A guy that looked quite a bit like Anna answered, shooting daggers at him. _A horrible nightmare_ , Harry thought as he swallowed, his adams apple bobbing up and down slowly.  His palms began to sweat, his stomach clenched with nerves and fear.

“Oh please, Annalisa lost her innocence long ago,” Gabe replied in a airy voice, a little laugh following.

“Whoa, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just let it go, guys. Come on.” Danny pleaded.

“It means that sweet little Annie is not a vir-”

Danny clamped a hand over his husband’s mouth.  ”Oh-kay! Moving on from this awkward discussion..”

“No, there is no discussion.  Anna doesn’t know what sex is.” The group burst into laughter at how incredibly oblivious Luke was. “What?! Man, you guys are fucking idiots.”

“You’re the fucking idiot if you think Anna doesn’t know what sex is.”

“Well she didn’t before _Prince without the symbol over there_ -” The other three guffawed again, shaking their heads. “What is so goddamn funny?”

Kathie placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, smiling sweetly at him.  ”Sweetie, you know I adore you.. _sometimes_.. but.. Anna is almost thirty.”

“Yeah… and? This is her first actual boyfriend.”

“Oh, you don’t believe she waited this long, do you? Are you really that naive?” Danny asked.

“What are you talking about?!” Luke yelled, incredulously.

“She slept with Chase!” Gabe blurted out. “Ow!” He rubbed the back of his head where his husband had smacked him in annoyance.

“What?!” Luke fumed, his scruffy face becoming beat red.

“Yeah, years ago.” Kathie shrugged.

He lifted an accusing finger at his wife.  ”You knew and didn’t tell me? How could you keep something like this from me?”

“What? Like the time you told me you got hit on at the gay bar at Danny’s bachelor party?” She snickered, sneaking glances at Danny and Gabe who were stifling their laughs, fists covering their mouths.

Luke turned sharply to them. “Which one of you little bitches told her?”

“Oh for the love of all things holy, let’s not get into that right now..” Danny said, gesturing towards the forgotten computer screen where a petrified looking man sat, his eyes darting between all of them at what he had just witnessed.   _Chase? Who the fuck was this Chase character they spoke of? He was going to kill him_.

“Do you think he can hear us?” Kathie whispered from the side of her mouth, still in awe of seeing a well known figure in the public eye in her sister-in-law’s home, sitting on her sofa and using her laptop.

Harry cleared his throat and wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans.  He lifted his hand and gave an awkward little wave.  ”Hello, I’m.. erm.. Harry.”

His head swam with the responses that got thrown out at him at once, giving him whiplash as his ears tried to keep up with who was saying what.

“Oh my god, Prince Harry just said hi to me.”

“Holy shit, his voice is so damn sexy.”

“Hi, Harry.. I’m Daniel, Anna’s brother.”

“Listen, you little prick..”

His eyes widened, stumbling as he fought to find the words to respond.  ”Erm..uh..” He looked back over the sofa, silently praying for Anna to save him, but she was still nowhere in sight.  What was taking her so long?  ”Annalisa!” He called out in a plea, the trainwreck that was unfolding in her living room unbeknownst to her.

When he turned back to face her family on his own, this time he wasn’t surprised to witness the foursome talking amongst themselves in rushed voices.

“Oh man, I knew I should’ve taken extra time to get my hair right today!” Kathie huffed, patting her head as she frowned into the camera.

“Kathie, nobody cares about your fucking hair.” Her husband rolled his eyes.

“I think it looks lovely, Kath.  What kind of product do you use to make it look so shiny?” Gabe asked as he played with the strands that fell in her face.

Luke and Daniel both groaned simultaneously.  ”Here we go..”

“What? This is valuable information!” Gabe argued, turning back to Kathie.  “I’ve tried to use different products but I can never find one that gives it the volume I’m looking for.  My hair seems to go flat after a few hours at the restaurant.“

“Can you girls please go elsewhere and talk about this crap?”

Kathie ignored her husband, continuing her conversation with Gabe.  Harry was almost sure if he had gone with his first thought of pretending this didn’t happen, he would get away with it.  They were too engrossed, they wouldn’t have noticed his absence.  Until Danny smiled kindly at him and winked.  ”Welcome to the family.”

Harry laughed, nervously.  ”Erm.. hey, thanks.. yeah.”

The vibration of an enticing beat interrupted the scene, all brows furrowing together in confusion, realizing it was coming from the speakers.  Harry scanned the room, the music being far too close to be coming from the computer speakers.  He caught the glimpse of a shadow on the wall behind where he sat, turning to investigate it.  His eyes widened in pleasant surprise as Anna appeared from the darkened hallway.. dressed in a skimpy nurse costume.  He stood and moved around the sofa to see her fully.

She bit her lip, willing her nerves to float away, her stomach dipping with the flushed appearance of him.  She sashayed closer, the faint _click clack_ from her strappy stilettos bringing a self-assurance to her steps.  She raised a perfectly shaped brow at him, noting the way his parted lips and the steady rise and fall of his chest fueled her confidence.

She had been fretting over this for days now, the idea forming when he had suggested her being his private nurse as she helped him to bed.  She wanted to do something special for him.. to make him realize that he made her feel _incredibly_ sexy.  She had never been more sexually open to anyone before, too shy and awkward to even try.  But Harry.. he looked at her and treated her as if she was the most stunning woman he had ever seen.

Pulling on the end of her stethoscope that hung loosely around her neck, she flashed him a sensual smile.  ”Nurse Peaches at your service..”

She inwardly cringed at the cheesy line, recalling how she had spent the last ten minutes practicing in her mirror to perfect it, trying out a few lines to prevent from sounding as if she stepped out a porno.  She hoped he wouldn’t start laughing at her expense.

But Harry brought a hand up to cover his racing heart, his mouth dry.  ”Wow..” He breathed, his eyes roving over her figure that was barely covered.  ” _Fuck_.”

The husky curse sent a thrill through her, the ache in between her thighs becoming stronger.

She another step forward, entering the room fully and opened her mouth to speak.  But a series of catcalls, whistles, and horrified yells caught both of their attentions as they turned sharply back to the computer screen.  Anna let out a yelp and ducked behind the couch, hiding her exposed body.  ”Oh my god!”

“Annalisa! Put some goddamn clothes on!”

“Whoa, get it girl!”

“Holy shit! My eyes.. my fucking eyes!”

“Daaaaaaaamn girl…”

———-

Ten long minutes was spent having to calm them down.  As soon as they had toned it down a bit, Annalisa was able to crawl back into her room to turn off the playlist she had created for tonight, Harry hot on her heels.  ”Jesus, baby.. I’m so sor-“

She spun to face him, the look of fury and mortification shutting his mouth.  ” _You_!” She poked his chest.  ”Why didn’t you warn me?!” She hissed, kicking off her shoes.

Harry was baffled.  His mouth opened and closed again, unable to form a single coherent word with the way she was dressed.  Anna caught the smirk as he stared at pushed up breasts, his eyes fixated on her cleavage.  ”Harry!” She smacked his chest, his gaze immediately lifting to her reddened face.

“I didn’t know what to do! I thought it was the right thing! What was I supposed to have done with him staring at me like that?” She scowled and staggered towards her closet, yanking the door open and taking out a fluffy pink robe that went down to her ankles.  Harry’s head tilted to the side to catch a better view of her ass before she hurriedly dressed in the robe.  He pressed his lips together, making a dash to adjust himself before she turned back to him.  “Goddamn..“ He murmured to himself.

Anna groaned, tossing the stethoscope on the bed and tying the knot tighter. “Put the top down! That’s what you were supposed to do!”

Harry rolled his head, cracking his neck before he threw his arms up, exasperated. “Fine! Next time I will!”

Anna laughed humorlessly. “Next time? There won’t be a next time, Wales! I’m pretty sure they’re forming an attack on you as we speak.  Oh god, they saw me practically naked…trying to seduce you.. like we were on some type of cheap porno..”

Harry blinked, the comical image making him belt out a hearty laugh.  Anna whipped around to scowl at him but felt the tugs at the corners of her mouth instead.  He looked so cute as he laughed, his thumbs sweeping the corners of his eyes to catch the humorous tears.  She shuffled her feet towards him, her shoulders slumped as a few chuckles escaped her.  She rested her head on his chest and slipped her arms around his waist.

Harry instantly returned the embrace, squeezing her reassuringly.  ”You’re right about something..”

She lifted her head up to look at him, smiling back at him.  ”What? The cheap porno?”

“Ha!” Harry laughed, rubbing her back.  “No.. that was very hot..“ He winked.  “But you’re right about them plotting to kill me.  I’ll be sure to beef up security for awhile..”

Anna cringed, shifting her focus back on the open door, the faint sounds of hushed voices wafting through the air.  ”They’re waiting for us..”

“Before we go back, I have something to ask you.” The serious tone caught her off guard.

“What is it?”

Harry scrunched up his nose.  “You’ve mentioned only being.. intimate.. with one guy before.  Is his name Chase?”

“Whoa,” she stammered.  “I wasn’t expecting that..”

Harry rubbed his lips together.  “So.. yes? Who is he and how many ways can I cause him pain?”

“Ha!” She shook her head.  “You have _nothing_ to worry about, trust me.. And he’s not even worthy to speak of.”

“Enlighten me.”

She sighed.  “Okay, yes.. I slept with Chase.  He was in the same team as Ben and when they all came back to attend his..” She swallowed, “funeral, we slept together.  We were both grieving and I was out of my mind.. and he was there so..”

“So it was one time?” He asked, hopeful.

“He was on leave because of the whole situation so he stayed in New York for a couple months..”

That wasn’t the answer he was looking for.  “How long were you fucking?”

Anna hugged him closer.  “For as long as he was there before getting deployed again.”

Harry nodded, his blood boiling as the sick images of another man’s hands on her played in his head.  Anna reached up on her tiptoes to kiss him passionately.  He softened his tense mouth after a moment, deepening the kiss as his tongue slipped in her mouth.  She was the first to pull away, allowing their private moment to go on further until they were being beckoned by her annoying family.  “It doesn’t mean anything, okay? It didn’t at the time and it most certainly doesn’t now.”

Harry frowned.  “I don’t like the idea of another man seeing you the way that I do.”

She shook her head, laughing lightly as if he were silly to think such a thing.  “No other man has seen me the way you have, Harry.. the way that you do..”

“I will personally fly myself over there if you two don’t get your asses out here.” Luke called out.

Harry pat her lower back, dropping a kiss to her temple.  ”That’s our cue.”

She grabbed his arm as he pulled away from her.  “Hey, you okay? You’re not going to pretend you’re fine with the whole Chase thing and it really eat at you, are you?”

“Anna, if you say it was nothing, then it was nothing.  I trust you…” He shrugged, taking her hand.  “Are you ready, love?”

“I should be the one asking you that, Captain.”

He gave her another kiss, inhaling to prepare himself for what was about to happen.  ”Sure.. I mean, worst part’s over, right?”

“Ha!”

——

“Well, well, well.. if it isn’t the two sex crazed dogs gracing us with their presence.” Gabe teased.

“And fully dressed this time..” Kathie winked.

Anna stuck her tongue out as she gripped Harry’s hand tighter in her grasp as they made their way over to take a seat on her sofa.  Harry waited until she situated herself, tugging her robe to cover as much skin as she could, before he sat next to her.

“Well, aren’t you going to introduce us?” Kathie questioned with a smug grin.  She brought a hand up to hide her mouth from the others and mouthed ‘he’s cute’ before giving her a thumbs up.  Anna smacked her forehead in embarrassment.

“Oh god.”

Harry turned his head to the side and smiled gently when she met his eyes, letting her know he was ready.  ”Well, love.. aren’t you going to introduce us?”

She shifted her eyes back at them and glared, wringing her hands together in a choke position.  ”I’m going to kill you guys for this.”

Luke rolled his eyes.  ”Get on with it, will you? I have to wash out my eyes after that little show you put on.”

“Hey!” She shouted.  “We do not speak of this ever again, capiche?“

“Gladly.” They all agreed.

She reached for Harry’s hand and took a small breath, easing the tension in her chest.  ”Okay.. Harry, meet Gabe, Danny, Luke, and Kathie.” She listed off as they raised their hand in greeting or gave a slight nod of the head in acknowledgment.  ”Hey, where’s Finn?” She caught the nervous way they glanced at each other before they blurted out different answers.

“Erm.. home.”

“On a date.”

“Working.”

“Who knows?”

She gave them a curious look before they shrugged.  She decided to move past that, making a mental note to call Gabe to find out what was going on tomorrow.  She could always get gossip out of him.  ”Oh-kay.. Guys.. this is Harry.”

Harry gave an awkward wave of his hand, smiling through the anxiety he masked.  ”Lovely to meet you all.. Not the way I had envisioned this to go but..”

He got a few chuckles out of them all, except for Luke who still wore a sour expression, his arms folded.  He could tell it was going to take some time to break through his walls, along with her father, who already hated him.  The thought of her father catching wind of what had happened earlier made the anxiety intensify.

“It’s good to meet the man who has brought out the porn star out of our little Annalisa..”

“Gabe!” Anna screeched, covering her face.  “Please let this go..“ Harry rested a hand on her knee.

“So, Harry.. You’re in the military, is that right?” Danny asked, trying to steer the conversation away from embarrassing his baby sister further, making a mental note to scold his husband later.

“Yes.. I’ve been an Apache pilot for awhile now.” He felt a sense of pride, sitting a little straighter and squaring his shoulders.

“Harry was promoted to commander a couple months ago.”

The look of approval crossed their features and he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Oh, is that right? Congratulations.  That’s quite the accomplishment.” Kathie said.

“Thank you,” Harry replied.  “That’s very kind of you.  It was months of intense training and the written exams were quite something but..“ He smiled, “I’m glad it’s over.”

“And Anna has informed us that you’ve served overseas before?” Gabe threw a wink at Anna’s grateful expression for giving up on teasing them.

“I have, yes.  I was in Afghanistan for a short tour back a few years ago and then again last year served for a few months.”

“That’s cool.” Luke said, all eyes turning to look at him in surprise.  “What? Shut up.“

Breathing was easier for Anna now when Luke’s icy attitude that he got from their dad slowly start to melt.  ”Harry just returned this past January from his latest tour.” She turned to smile proudly at him.  Harry returned her smile and pat her knee, feeling more comfortable with the way things were going.

Their smiles faded at Danny’s next question.  ”And are there plans in the near future of going back?”

Harry paused before answering.  He didn’t want to give too much, having yet to speak with Anna about his new position in the military after he returned from his trek.  He went with the answer he was accustomed to giving.  ”Being in the army, there’s always the chance.  I go wherever I’m needed.  I’ve had the proper training and if I’m given orders to serve my country again, I’ll be there no questions asked.”

Anna felt the anxiety build up in her chest once more at the thought of Harry being deployed.. Away from her.. In a warzone.. Where she could lose him.. Could she handle that?

The distant sound of an explosion rang in her ears, bringing her back into her nightmares.  She knew the conversation was flowing on but she couldn’t hear anything but the moans and groans that plagued her dreams.  The smoke and dust that suffocated her as she searched through the darkness for something she did not know.

She thought back to how it felt, waking up each morning and wondering if Ben was okay.  She remembered tricking her mind into not going to dark places, not wanting to bring bad karma to life.  She remembered the jump she felt at every phone ring, at every door bell..

And she remembered the break of her heart at the sight of the car in her parent’s driveway with two military officials standing at the front door.

She blinked back the tears that started to form in her eyes, clearing her throat and trying to focus back into the current conversation.  Gabe was watching her intently, concern etched across his features.  She smiled at his soft eyes and looked to the man that sat at her side.

He was laughing at something she missed but she didn’t care what it was about.  She loved to see him this way.  His head back, mouth open as his loud laugh filled her ears, making the anxiety and all her doubts disappear.  For the time being.

“I’m sure it won’t reach the point of frostbite but if it does..” He nodded towards the computer screen.  “I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.“

They were talking about his upcoming trek, she realized.  Her stomach knotted as she thought of the time they would have to spend apart with no contact.  She would miss him, already did miss him when he spent his day and evenings on base.  He was due to go back to work for a couple more weeks before his leave would begin.  And even then, right before he would have to start the cause, he schedule was booked with meetings and engagements.  She was thankful that she was included on a couple of them, being the one to organize the ones that had to do with the charity.

“Okay, my lovely.” Gabe started, glancing at the others.  “We have reservations to meet before Daniel and I have to head back to the Big Apple.“ He grinned at Harry.  “Harry, very nice to finally meet you.”

Harry nodded.  ”It’s lovely to meet you all.  Anna talks highly of her family.” He smirked.  ”I’m just glad we could get past the whole… uh.. incident.”

Everyone laughed except for Luke who gave the smallest of smiles Harry had ever seen.  ”Hey, Luke.. is that a smile I see?” He teased.

“Shut up, man.” Luke joked back.  “There’s nothing here stopping me from kicking your ass.“

Kathie raised a brow at him.  ”Your kids? Your wife? Your job? Money?” Luke waved her off before pointing back at Harry.

“Nothing will stop me, _comprende_?”

Harry gave him a thumbs up as the rest of the gang rolled their eyes at Luke’s attempt of a joke.. knowing he was only half joking.  “I will win you over eventually, mate.”

“Doubt it.” Luke smirked.

“Anyway, we really should be going, honeybee.” Danny said, stretching.  “Harry, It’s been a pleasure.“

“Looking forward to our next meeting for sure.”

“Harry.. take care of our girl over there, you hear?” Gabe winked.  “Carry on with your.. previous plans.“

Anna grumbled.  ”I hate you.”

After their goodbyes, Anna shutdown the laptop and pulled the top down, sighing in relief as Harry threw himself back on the couch.  ”Holy shit.. did that just happen?”

“Yep.. I just met your family.” Harry replied, reaching for her and pulling her back against him.  She laid her head on his shoulder, tucking her feet underneath her.

“It went well, right?”

Harry chuckled.  ”If you don’t count how it started, sure.” She groaned and buried her face in his neck, his arm wrapping securely around her.  ”It went great, baby.  I mean, I got a smile out of Luke by the end.. I call that a success.”

Anna nodded, placing a soft kiss behind his ear.  ”You did.. I’m very proud of you.  He can be.. a hardass.”

“I did good, I did good.” Anna giggled, trailing tiny kisses along his neck and jaw.  “Can I tell you, though.. after this, I’m a little petrified of your father finding out what happened.“ She stopped her kisses, looking up at him and softening at the worry his blues held.  “He’s already not a fan of me and.. you’re his little girl..”

“Harry, if you can loosen Luke up, then you’ll be able to do that with my dad, too.” She pecked his lips, but he wasn’t convinced.

“It’s different with your father, though.  Yeah, sure, your brother is protective of his baby sister but.. you’re your dad’s baby girl.” He licked his dry lips before continuing.  “When he looks at you, he will forever see his little girl who he loved first.. You’re his princess,“ he smirked.  “And now here’s a _real life prince…_.” He trialed off.

She couldn’t stop the emotions that were coursing through her as his words sunk in.  Memories of her daddy playing tea time with her, of dressing up as a prince to her princess costume and getting fake married.. Of horseback rides after a long day at work.. He would do anything for her, no questions asked.  Except to let her go.

Her heart ached for him as she remembered the tears in his eyes as she hugged her blubbering mother at the airport, ready to board her plane that would take her to a new life.. A new life without them.

He was right.  Her dad would be a little more difficult to warm up and crack through his tough exterior.

But she knew in her heart that he would learn to love Harry.  She knew they would have easy flowing conversations, both interested in military life.  It would take time, yes.. but she wasn’t worried about it.

Anna brought both hands to cradle his face, looking him square in the eyes.  ”He will love you, baby.  He might be an asshole at first and put you through hell at first.”

“Wow, thanks for the reassurance.” He said, sarcastically.

She laughed.  ”No, I’m serious.. it’s a good thing.  Because I know you will past the test with flying colors.  You love me, right?”

“Of course I do.” His answer was immediate.

“Then that’s what matters.  He will see that.”

Harry pursed his lips in thought.  Maybe she was right, maybe she wasn’t.  But he was going to try his damn hardest to stop fretting over it.  He loved her, more than anything.  He was willing to go through fire for her, fight for her with everything that he had.

Anna gave him a sultry look, swinging her leg to move onto his lap.  She pressed her pelvis to his, bringing her lips to meet his.  ”Now.. how about we stop talking about my family and..” She dragged a finger slowly down his chest to his belt buckle.  ”Focus on other things?”

Harry growled, holding onto her hips and lifting his lower body to press more firmly against hers, eliciting a moan from her.  ”I like the way you think..” Her robe fell open, her cleavage peeking at him as he gazed at her milky skin.  He wet his lips before leaning to place open mouthed kisses on her exposed flesh.

“I believe you paged me..” He heard her say as she ground down on him.

“ _Fuck_..”

——-

Annalisa moaned, reaching over to check the time. 5:58am. She was disgruntled and couldn’t remember what had stirred her awake until her apartment buzzer went off again.  ”Who the fuck is that?” She asked outloud.

Harry snored beside her, not moving as the buzzer rang out, the person behind it becoming impatient.  ”Jesus Christ..” She tossed the covers back and sat up, ready to drag herself out of the warm bed before another buzzing sound caught her attention.  Harry’s phone lit up on the nightstand that was on his side of the bed.  ”What the fuck is going on?” She shook him awake.

“Harry, wake up.” He groaned, unmoving. “Harry..“

“What? It’s dark out, go back to sleep.”

She shook him harder. ”Someone’s at the door and your phone is going off.”

“Ignore it.” He mumbled into his pillow, burrowing further in it.

Anna contemplated doing what he suggested.  Until the buzzer became more persistent. She sighed, getting up from the bed and hitting him with her pillow. "Get up and answer your phone.”

She made her way towards the door and hit the talk button on her security.  ”Yes? Who is it?”

“Jesus fucking Christ.  I’ve been out here for ten goddamn minutes.  It’s cold and I’m freezing my balls off.” Anna stood on the other end confused.  Her tired mind was working slowly to try to put a picture to the voice.  “And there’s some guy out here giving me bedroom eyes.“ She shook her head to register what was happening. “Are you ignoring me? Open the door, you brat!”

Something clicked in her brain at that moment. ” _Finn_?!”


	18. How He First Met Her Family - part two

**Previously..**

_Annalisa moaned, reaching over to check the time.  5:58am. She was disgruntled and couldn’t remember what had stirred her awake until her apartment buzzer went off again.  ”Who the fuck is that?” She asked out loud._

_Harry snored beside her, unmoving as the buzzer rang out, the person behind it becoming impatient.  ”Jesus Christ..” She tossed the covers back and sat up, ready to drag herself out of the warm bed before another buzzing sound caught her attention.  Harry’s phone lit up on the nightstand that was on his side of the bed.  ”What the fuck is going on?” She shook him awake._

_“Harry, wake up.” He groaned, unmoving.  “Harry..“_

_“What? It’s dark out, go back to sleep.”_

_She shook him harder.  ”Someone’s at the door and your phone is going off.”_

_“Ignore it.” He mumbled into his pillow, burrowing further in it._

_Anna contemplated doing what he suggested.  Until the buzzer became more persistent.  She sighed, getting up from the bed and hitting him with her pillow._ _”Get up and answer your phone.”_

_She made her way towards the door and hit the talk button on her security.  ”Yes? Who is it?”_

_“Jesus fucking Christ.  I’ve been out here for ten goddamn minutes.  It’s cold and I’m freezing my balls off.” Anna stood on the other end confused.  Her tired mind was working slowly to try to put a picture to the voice.  “And there’s some guy out here giving me bedroom eyes.“ She shook her head to register what was happening.  “Are you ignoring me? Open the door, you brat!”_

_Something clicked in her brain at that moment.  ”Finn?!”_

“Yes, now can you please let me in.. I’m starting to get freaked out here..”

“Come on up..” She pressed down on the unlock button before scurrying back to dress quickly, tripping over her own barefeet on the way.

When she walked into the room, Harry was still snuggled under the covers with his mobile loudly vibrating against the wood of the nightstand.  “Harry!” She shouted, tugging on a pair of gray sweatpants and an oversized dark blue Boston sweatshirt.

The only reply she received was the sound of his soft snoring.  “I’m gonna fucking kill him,” she thought aloud, walking over to his side of the bed and tearing off the covers from his naked body.

“The fuck..” Harry mumbled, groaning and turning over, facing the opposite way and fighting to get the covers back.

“Harry,” she hissed, ruffling his disheveled hair.  “My brother is on his way up.. I think it would be best if you got the fuck up and dressed,” she stressed.  
It didn’t take much longer before Harry shifted to a sitting position, fumbling to cover himself and scanning the room with frantic eyes.  “ _Luke_?” He asked, worriedly.

Anna heard a loud knock on the door and tossed his trousers and shirt that were laying around at him, smacking him on his bare chest before falling onto his lap.  “No,” she laughed.  “But it’s good to know you’re a chicken shit when it comes to my brother.”

Harry puffed out his chest, glaring at her.  “I’m not scared of nothing.”

“Right, Captain.” She smirked, saluting him.  He was about to retort back, opening his mouth but shutting it quickly at the persistent knock.  “It’s Finn.”  She told him, then gestured to his phone that was still going off.  “I’d answer your phone if I were you.  It’s probably your security informing you of an intruder.”

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, letting out a loud yawn.  He scratched the back of his head, willing himself to wake up.  “Finn? Shit, gossip spreads faster than herpes at the Red-Light District,” he muttered.  His eyes widened as realization hit him of what her brother could be there for.  “..Is he here to kill me?”

Anna playfully shrugged, making her way out of the room to allow her brother entry.  She stopped at the doorway, holding onto the frame and gave him a teasing smile.  “But you’re scared of nothing, am I right?”

She giggled and ducked out of the way when the pillow came flying at her.

“I’m coming! God..” Anna rolled her eyes, the knocking becoming more of a pounding on the door.  She was sure her neighbors appreciated the early wake up call.  Yanking the door open, a wide smile spread on her lips at the sight of her brother standing there with a matching grin.

“Missed me?” He joked, opening his arms for her to jump in them.  They hugged, both overjoyed at seeing the other after what felt like an eternity.

“I would say something really mean right now.. especially after the rude awakening and the fact that I’ll probably be called out at the next tenant meeting.. But,” she backed away to take a look at him, their arms still locked in a half hug.  “It’s so good to see you, jerk.”

Finn grinned, flashing his signature pearly white smile.  “It’s been awhile,” he nodded, bringing her in for another hug.  He looked good, more built than she remembered from last Christmas, his skin more tanned and his hair cut shorter.  “Who the hell is the Kevin Costner character hanging out in a blacked out SUV?”

“That’s Harry’s protection officer.”

“Huh,” he said.  “Gay version of The Bodyguard?”

Anna snorted.  “You’ve been spending too much time with Gabe.”

“Actually,” he started, patting her head.  “Ma went through this phase where she watched a shit load of boring ass movies for a couple weeks.”

Anna looked at him, curiously.  “You’ve been spending time with Mom?”

Finn shrugged, avoiding eye contact.  “I’ve been staying at the house for a few months..”

“Everything okay?” She could tell by the way his body language shifted, his shoulders tense and his hands running through his short dark hair, that something wasn’t quite right.  He seemed.. anxious.

“Yeah, yeah.. of course,” he waved her off, stepping inside her flat with a carry on bag and suitcase before shutting the door behind him and dropping his luggage.  “Just in between jobs at the moment.”

“Mm,” Anna hummed, unconvinced.  “So.. what’s going on? How long are you here for?”

“Just a week..” He trailed off, his attention shifting to a shadowy figure that had just stepped out of a room and into the hallway.

He leaned towards her and said in a low tone, “The British are coming..”

“Please be nice to him.” Anna warned, turning to a completely dressed Harry, watching as he strolled towards them with his hands wringing together in a nervous habit.  She reached out for his hand, gently smiling in reassurance.  
“Harry, this is my brother Finn,” she introduced.  “Finn, this is Harry.” Harry gave a slight nod to Finn as he took her hand, holding onto it in a tight grip.  No, he wasn’t scared.. not at all.

But Finn jerked his head with the same motion in greeting before sticking his hand out to shake Harry’s free hand.  A look of approval flashed across his face at the firm shake, sharing a secret look with this sister.  Anna felt giddy, pleased that this meeting was running more smoothly than the previous.

“Hey, man.. Nice to meet you..” Finn said.

“Likewise,” Harry responded, turning to Annalisa.  “I’ve heard many things about you.”

Finn smirked.  “I wish I could say the same..” Anna glared at him, shaking her head.  “But don’t sweat it.. Whatever she failed to inform us, we got that off Google.”

Harry swallowed, letting out an uneasy laugh and lifted a shoulder to shrug.  “Yes, well.. can’t help what you find on there.”

“Harry..” Annalisa interrupted.  “You do not have to explain yoursel-”

Finn lifted a hand to stop her.  “Relax, sis.. I’m not going to pretend I’m holier than thou like our dear Luke.” He chuckled, shifting his eyes to Harry’s.  “I’m all too familiar with naked Vegas.”

Harry chortled in amusement, then coughed into his fist as Anna shot a murderous look at him.  “I rather not hear about that, please,” she said.

“What?” She swatted at her brother as he pinched her cheeks.  “Is my baby sister jealous?”

“Oh, yeah..” she said, sarcastically.  “So jealous of my boyfriend and brother bonding over their Vegas shenanigans.”

“Hey,” he replied, shuffling into her living room and scanning the area.  “Whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.. and away from virgin ears.”

“Unless you happen to be a prince.” Harry joked.

Finn swung around and pointed at him.  “True, amigo.”

“Okay, this was a nice visit.  Thanks for coming! Have a safe flight back.” Anna humorously rambled as she watched Finn walk over to the bookshelves where she kept the massive DVD collection.

But he ignored her.  “Damn, sis.. it’s a wonder how you got yourself involved with anyone by the looks of your lame collection.” Anna rolled her eyes, pushing away from Harry when he snickered.

“I keep saying her taste is just terrible, but she doesn’t believe me.  I try to expand her horizons with actual brilliant films.. But she won’t listen.”

Finn bent down and continued to finger the titles of the different TV shows and films she had in no particular order.  “Anna doesn’t listen to anyone.. Except for the voices in her head.”

“Fuck you,” Anna spat, eyes wide in embarrassment.

“Those pesky voices, yeah?” Harry winked in her direction, immediately taking a liking to Finn, feeling more at ease and comfortable enough to plop down on her sofa.  She huffed at him, but Harry ignored her as well.  “She has an atrocious music selection too.  You’d think someone with musical talent, she’d listen more to artists with actual artistic abilities.”

“Oh, so we are all just going to talk smack as if I’m not even here?”

Finn looked over his shoulder with a disgusted expression on his face.  “Oh, please don’t tell me she still listens to that boy band crap.”

Anna crossed her arms, walking further into the room as Harry’s laugh filled her ears.  “Listen, NSYNC may be on hiatus for the past few years, but Backstreet Boys and New Kids are back.. they are still relevant.”

“Right,” Harry snorted.  “Please explain why I caught you twirling around to Tearin’ Up My Heart the other day.”

“Shut up!”

“Ha!” Finn laughed, flipping his imaginary long hair as if to mock her.  “ _Oh, that Justin Timbersea is just soooo dreamy_.”

“It’s fucking Timber _lake_ , asshole,” Anna scoffed.  “Whatever.  NSYNC for life.  Fuck you both.”

She walked away, her back towards the laughter as they both continued their horrendous impersonations of her.  She began brewing coffee before searching through the fridge and cabinets to start on breakfast as they continued to bond.  
She couldn’t deny it felt nice to have him here, hearing her boyfriend and brother joke around—even if it was at her expense—as if they had been mates all along.  She knew it was important to not only her, but to Harry as well.  He had voiced his concern of never receiving her father’s approval of him more than once.  It pained her that he didn’t currently.  And she blamed herself for not helping the situation, avoiding her father ever since the phone call where she revealed Harry’s identity.  She was prolonging it for as long as she could, trying to formulate the correct words she needed to face her stubborn father.

She smiled to herself when a boisterous laugh filtered through the flat, peeking over into the living room as she beat the eggs in a bowl.  Harry and Finn had started up a game of rugby on the play station, tossing insults back and forth in good nature.

Every now and then she’d let out a little giggle when Harry would cheer for every single one of his goals, Finn cursing and tormenting him for being British. “Boys, play nice.” She had called out from the kitchen when she caught Finn reaching over to Harry’s controller, pressing on random buttons while Harry yelled out and shoved him away.

“ _Boys, play nice_ ,” Finn mocked her as Harry snickered, his focus never leaving the game, determined to win.  “Seriously, Anna.  You just had to go with the British.  They don’t even know what real football is.”

“You Americans think your own shit don’t stink.  At least we don’t act like we rule the world.  We’re more real than that.”

“A real bunch of pricks,” Finn muttered, tapping on his controller with enthusiasm.

“Sore losers must be another Caro trait,” Harry retorted.

“I don’t lose,” Finn said.

“Ha!” Harry stood up and looked down at him with a proud grin spread across his face, arms up in the air. “You just got fucking beat, bitch!”

Finn threw his controller in anger.  “Motherfucker.”

——

Forty-five minutes later, the trio were seated at the breakfast bar, conversing in between bites of the feast Anna had made, unable to resist the urge to use up all the breakfast ingredients she had to celebrate his arrival.  Their plates consisted of several sides, including crispy turkey bacon strips, roasted home fries, and a mountain of fluffy blueberry pancakes.

“…and then he says ‘Dude, emay eednay otay eavelay’.  And Danny is-”

“Wait,” Harry held a hand up.  “What the fuck was that rubbish?”

Anna laughed.  “God, I haven’t heard pig latin in years..”

“Yeah,” Finn chuckled.  “Luke’s been teaching Benny and Sarah to drive Kath crazy.” He turned to Harry.  “It means _we need to leave_ ,” he clarified.  “So Danny is just cracking up.. laughing hysterically.. while me and a couple other guys that were there are just staring like ‘what the fuck is going on’?.. And Danny finally tells us that some guy hit on Luke.”

Harry and Anna burst out into laughter.  “Oh god, I can’t believe I missed that.” Anna said, holding onto her sides.

“Shit, it was the greatest.. just the look on his face was fucking priceless.  And then we all get back into the car and he threatens to chop our balls off if any of us tell Kath what happened..”

Anna quirked a brow at him.  “Ten bucks that you were the one that babbled.”

“Ha!” He laughed.  “I was already texting her before we got in the car.”

“Well.. he just found out Kathie knew so.. I’d worry about the fate of your bollocks.” Harry commented, reaching for the syrup to drown his pancakes.  He glanced at Annalisa who was looking at his plate with a scrunched up nose.  He winked at her, earning an amused smile as she shook her head.

“Psh,” Finn waved.  “Luke talks out of his ass.”

“That’s true.” Anna confirmed.

“Which reminds me..” Finn started, chewing on a strip of bacon.  “Kath bullied me into bringing you a bag of Peach Rings but.. I got hungry on the plane..”

“Finn!”

“What?” He shrugged, nonchalant.

“Whoa, back track for a second there.. Peaches likes peach ring candy?” Harry smirked.

Anna groaned while Finn looked between the two.  “Peaches? Is this some sick sex thing?”

“Finn!” Anna hissed, swatting his arm.  “Harry calls me peaches.” She explained, feeling the heat coming off of her embarrassed face.

“He.. calls you Peaches?” He made a disgusted face while Harry laughed, a slight blush creeping on his own cheeks.  “Well if that ain’t gag worthy..”

”So..” Anna said, her voice raising a few octaves as she hurriedly directed the conversation away from her relationship.  “What do you want to do while you’re here? Harry leaves in a bit so it’s just you and me, bud.”

Finn turned to Harry with pleading eyes.  “Leasepay ontday eavelay emay ithway erhay.”

Harry furrowed his brows together, looking up to crack the code before chuckling.  _Please don’t leave me with her._   Anna threw a piece of bacon at her brother, clicking her tongue.  “I’d love to stay, trust me.  But.. duty calls.”

Finn gulped down the rest of his orange juice before responding.  “You owe big time, man.” He shifted towards Anna who was shooting daggers at him in mock anger.  “Alright, brat.  What’s there to do around here?”

“We can go shopping!” She exclaimed, earning groans from both of them.

“Again,” Finn said to Harry.  “You fucking owe me big time.”

Harry laughed.  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Finn sighed.  “I did promise to bring back some London crap for them.”

Anna brought her hands together and danced in her seat, excitedly.  “We have to go to Oxford Street.  They literally have _everything_ there.” Her eyes glossed over as she created an itinerary in her head for the coming days.

She was thankful he was going to be here for a full week while Harry would be away at base.  He would keep her mind occupied during the day before she had to head off to the hospital.

Harry leaned over to Finn, elbowing him to catch his attention.  “Run while you still can..” Finn moved to stand up jokingly at his words, grinning at Anna’s glare as he sat back down.

“Alright, what do you got for me?”

“Definitely spend a day on Oxford Street to do some shopping.  Then we can do some sightseeing.. Hit the big spots like Big Ben, London Eye, museums..  We can take a day to Stonehenge..” She took a breath.  “You’re on your own after 6pm when I go to work for most of the days, though.”

“Great, it’ll give me a chance to hit up some pubs and clubs.. check out the London ladies,” he said, turning to Harry.  “Any suggestions?”

“Oh yeah, sure.. I would check out The Brown Cow in Fulham; it’s a decent pub.  A good mate of mine co-owns Bodo’s Schloss, so that’s a must see.  Annalisa or even I could let him know you’ll be popping in..”

“Ohh no,” Anna laughed, shaking her head.  “Finn and Skippy together? Nothing terrifies me more than that.”

“Brat,” Finn scowled.

“I have to agree with her on that one, actually.” Harry said.  “Mahiki is a club I’d recommend.. I’ve been a regular there for years and they know me pretty well so I could put in a word for you.”

“Sounds good, thanks.  Oi mate! Get me to the pub!” Finn exclaimed in an awful attempt at a British accent.

Anna covered her mouth, falling into a fit of giggles as Harry belted out his own laughter.  “Oi mate, that’s more Australian than anything..”

“You are such a loser,” Anna taunted.  “That was way worse than my British accent…”

Harry was quick to cut in to add, “And that says a lot.”

Finn pointed at them both.  “You two belong together.  Get your ear wax cleaned out.  That was a perfect British aristo.”

Harry turned to Anna, talking from the side of his mouth.  “Keep him away from the girls while I’m away, yeah?”

“Ha!” Anna tapped her temple, nodding in agreement.  “I’m smarter than you think.” She winked.

“So, Harry..” Finn clapped a hand over his shoulder.  “Any hot friends-”

“ _No_!” Harry and Annalisa shouted simultaneously.

———

A few short hours later, Harry was saying his goodbye before he finished up his last few days of work before he took leave.  He took Annalisa by the hand to give her a proper goodbye kiss in the privacy of her bedroom while her brother lounged on the sofa, flipping through the programs on the telly.

“Behave while I’m away,” Harry teased, his arms loosely around her waist as she had her arms wrapped around his neck.

“I wish you would leave me with a _bang_ but..” Anna teased back.

Harry groaned, palming her ass and pushing his hips flush against hers.  “You wanna have a go, love?” He wiggled his brows suggestively.

Annalisa giggled before bringing her mouth to his and pressed several light kisses on his lips.  “With my brother right out there?”

“You would have to be very quiet..” He captured her mouth with his, snaking his tongue past her lips.  She tangled her fingers in his fiery locks, tugging and moaning as Harry’s hands squeezed the flesh of her ass.

“Harry..” He trailed kisses across her jaw and down her neck, stopping to nip and tongue the spot behind her ear that made her knees buckle as she fell into him.  “Oh, Harry,” she moaned as her eyes slid shut.

“That’s not you being quiet,” he whispered against her flushed skin.

“We can’t..” She said, reluctantly pulling away.  Harry groaned in frustration, running his fingers through his hair as he fought the urge to push her against the shut door and make her beg for him to take her.  “I’m sorry, baby.. I promise to make it up to you when we’re.. alone.”

Harry took her hand and placed a soft kiss, then pulled her to him to kiss her swollen lips.  “Don’t you forget that.”

She grinned.  “I’m sure you’ll remind me.”

“You bet your sweet ass I will.”

——

“Dad sent you, didn’t he? God, that man is impossible!”

They were on day five out of the seven days Finn was visiting, this being the first time they had fallen into serious conversation as they strolled around Westfield Stratford City, doing some light shopping since they had gone to Oxford Street earlier that week.  Annalisa had been serious with the itinerary she created and made sure they did everything on the list.

While she was at work, Finn was occupied with club hopping and getting acquainted with London nightlife.  There was one morning where they had returned back to her flat at the same time, her from working a full shift and him from spending the night at a stranger’s flat.  Anna had teased him endlessly, as she often did when it came to his womanizing ways.

“He’s only worried about you, you know that.” He paused, recalling the few incidents of photographers snapping pictures of them around London.  He couldn’t keep the confusion off his face, never understanding the interest of celebrities, never mind the fact that they were interested in his baby sister.  He noted how she barely acknowledged them, even as they spat out questions that were even too personal for him to know.  But she kept walking, blinking away the flashes from the camera.  “And you know him, nobody can change his mind.. except for himself.. and sometimes Mom,” he snickered. “Which by the way she wanted me to tell you she’s working on that.”

Anna chortled, always holding a great fondness of her mother’s ability to alter her stubborn father’s views.  A strong urge to hug her consumed her.  “I miss her.  How’s she doing?”

Finn gave her a half smile and nodded slightly.  “She’s getting by.. Talks about you all the time.” His eyes shifted downward, the atmosphere turning gloomy.  “Mistakenly calls me Benjamin sometimes.”

“I worry about her.” Anna sighed.

Finn looked at her with concern etched across his features.  “We worry about you.”

Anna sniffled, fighting back the tears that were pooling at the corner of her eyes.  “Don’t.  I’m fine, really.  Harry has been…” She took a deep breath, a small smile forming on her lips.  “He’s been amazing..”

“Why do I sense a but there?”

She should have known she couldn’t hide anything from him.  He could always read her like an open book like Ben could.  “I’m scared.  I’ve been having these.. nightmares.”

Finn nodded in understanding.  He knew all about her nightmares, he had them too.  “That’s normal, sis.”

“But is it really?” She smacked her lips together as soon as the words slipped out.  
He could sense her uneasiness with the way she nervously tucked her curls behind her ears while chewing on her lips.

“We’re Caros.  Obviously there’s nothing normal about us.” He joked.

“Ha! I guess you’re right.”

——

Later that night, Anna had convinced him to go on the London Eye with her once more.  She had the night off from the hospital and didn’t want him to leave without experiencing it after dark.  He had fallen into a mood after they had dinner at one of the restaurants Harry had messaged her to try out during their brief chat that afternoon.

She bumped his shoulder with hers, eyeing him from the side as they reached the top.  “So, are you going to tell me what you’re really doing here?”

He turned to look at her in confusion.  “Hey, I’m no London expert but… I believe The Eye is for-“

She shifted to face him completely, throwing him a look that made him shut his mouth in the middle of a sentence. “Stop.  There’s something going on with you..”

He avoided her eyes, focusing on the view of the city below them. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really?” Anna cocked her head to one side. “One,” She stuck her thumb out. “I ask the others where you are and they spit out different answers like they don’t know what the hell to say.”

“Two,” She counted on her pointer finger, “you show up unannounced at my door.”

The way his eyes were darting around, looking at everything but her as she listed off her observations, only intensified the bad feeling that was in the pit of her stomach. “And three, you’ve mentioned spending time with mom like you’re making up for something.”

Finn swept his tongue across his bottom lip and cleared his throat. “What have I told you about watching those bullshit crime shows?”

“Spit it out.” She puffed out a breath, trying to prepare herself for what he was about to lay on her.

But nothing could prepare her for what came next.

“I joined the Marine Corps.” He paused before adding, “Annalisa… I’m getting deployed.”


	19. How She Pushed Him Away

_“Hey baby.. Sorry I missed you.  Are you out wreaking havoc with Finn? If so, I’ll be sure to check the tabloids in the morning.. Anyway, just getting into bed now and wanted to wish you a good night, love.  It’s been a crazy few hours so I’ll probably pass out soon.  Let me know when you get this.  Alright, love you.. Stay out of trouble.  Bye.”_

_“Hey, it’s me.. I was expecting some dirty pictures in The Sun this morning but.. just saw pictures of you shopping with your brother.. You didn’t call me back, you pain in the arse.  Did you stay out too late? Sleeping in today, I presume.. Old lady.  Anyway, yeah.. I’m heading out for a full day of fly missions so just leave me a message.  I wanna hear about what you’ve been up to, okay? Alright, then.. Love you, baby.  Call me.  I miss you..”_

_“Sending out a search party to find your arse.  What’s going on? Everything okay? Haven’t heard from you.. Have you become too busy for a quick hello to your boyfriend? Can’t say I’m not wounded, love.  But yeah.. Is everything alright over there? Listen, call me.  Love you.  Bye..”_

_“Annalisa? Are you avoiding me? Call me back, will you? Okay, bye..”_

Pressing end on the mobile screen, Anna let out a shaky breath, slowly peeling her exhausted eyes open.  She hadn’t slept much over the past couple days, allowing her fatigued body the couple hours of sleep it required to keep going.

She sat back on the sofa, gathering up every ounce of strength she had in her to keep breathing, to keep her thoughts from wandering to a dark place.  She had just gotten back from dropping Finn off as he made the journey back to the States.

It had been a pleasant visit, filled with laughter and fun that she needed to have with him, being apart for so long. Everything had been going well.  Until that moment when he had confessed the true meaning behind his surprise appearance.

She replayed the moment over and over like a broken record.

———-

_“Annalisa… I’m getting deployed.”_

_Finn stared at her, waiting for his confession to sink in.  She stared back blankly, blinking rapidly. He saw the way her breath hitched when he had uttered the dreaded words and he braced himself for the outburst of rage._

_But it didn’t come._

_She turned to gaze down below them, where tourists still lined up to get on The Eye.  She studied the massive amount of people around; couples walking hand in hand with beaming smiles, circles of friends laughing into the night, carefree.  Unbeknownst to them, just a few feet above, a stranger’s world was crashing down.  She had never been a jealous person when it came to witnessing happiness that wasn’t her own.  But right then, she envied them._

_“Anna?” He whispered.  “You’re killing me here..“ She turned to him and his stomach clenched at the sadness that consumed her amber eyes.  “I know what you’re thinking..”_

_“Do you?” She asked, emotionless._

_Telling the rest of the family had been tough, for sure.  His mother, grandmother and sister-in-law had cried, hanging onto him tightly.  His brothers and brother-in-law had hugged him, voicing their approval.  His father had looked at him with pride for the first time, shaking his hand before pulling him into a fatherly embrace._

_But telling Anna was different.  She was the most important woman in his life,_ _after his mother. She was his baby sister, the one he would call up for advice.. for pep talks.  She never belittled him for dropping out of college after a semester.  She had never made him feel worthless as he struggled to keep a steady job.  He wanted, no, he_ needed _her approval.  He wanted her to be proud of him. But she still had some underlying issues with losing Ben._

_He practiced how he would tell her in different ways, losing much sleep over it.  At first he had planned to call her or send her a message, but he quickly decided against it.  This was not something that should be discussed over the telephone or through email._

_Finn sighed.  ”I’m not Ben,” he said, defensively.  ”I’m not going to get myself killed out there, Annalisa.”_

_“I know that,” She croaked out, her shaky voice cracking at the last word.  “How long have you known?“_

_“A couple months,” he replied._

_Surprise came over her features, the first emotion she showed after the news.  ”A couple months?!” She asked, incredulously._

_Finn cringed at the reaction. “I was going to tell you sooner but this was the first time I’ve been able to get out here between all the training and preparations..”_

_Anna nodded, fully understanding the process.  ”Do..” She trailed._

_“Yeah, they know.”_

_“Everyone?” She asked, calmly._

_“Yeah..”_

_She nodded again, inhaling deeply before releasing the air in a slow exhale.  ”For how long?”_

_“Right now I’m contracted to be in Afghanistan for six months starting the Friday after Thanksgiving.  But.. if they need longer, I’ll be there for as long as they say.” He paused, clearing his throat.  “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.. I just thought, I don’t know, that you’d want to hear it after we spent a few days to catch up and.. enjoy that stupid list you made of shit to do.“_

_A flick of a smile appeared on her face.  ”Don’t hate on my genius itinerary.  You had a good time.” She licked her lips, her eyes softening.  ”You don’t have to apologize, Finn.  I appreciate that you waited to make sure we had a good time.”_

_“I’m still sorry..” Finn shrugged.  “I just,“ he lowered his voice.  “I don’t know..”_

_“What?”_

_He puffed out a breath that was laced with a nervous laugh.  ”I guess I just want to be someone that you’re proud of.. that you look up to.  I am your big brother, after all.  And sometimes I feel like you’re older than I am.”_

_“Hey,” Anna bumped his shoulder with hers.  “I am super proud you, Finn.  Of course I look up to you.. I always have.  Who else tries as hard as you do to take my champ title?“_

_“Ha!” He laughed, grateful for light she was trying to make of the situation.  “That’s where you’re wrong, sis.  I don’t have to try, you just suck.“_

_Anna wrinkled her nose in disagreement before she turned serious.  ”I know you’re not Ben, Finn. Ben was still so young and green.  He went over there without the life experience that you are.  And I am so proud of you.  You are the bravest person I’ve ever known, do you know that?”_

_His chest felt constricted with anxiety.  ”Even if I admit I’m terrified out of my fucking mind?”_

_Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes as she felt the lump in her throat tighten with each passing second.  She was scared, too.  Petrified.  She couldn’t stand the thought of losing him, too._

_“I think it would be weird if you weren’t scared.” She gave him a warm smile, reaching to cover his hand with hers.  “So what brought you to decide on..?“_

_“Joining the Marines?” He finished for her.  “You know, I’ve been.. struggling with who I am and what I’m supposed to be doing here.  I’ve been bartending and taking on meaningless jobs since I can remember.“ He sighed, running his fingers through his dark hair.  “It’s no secret of how shaky my relationship with Dad is.  He doesn’t approve of my choices and.. I don’t know..”_

_“Dad loves you, you know that.”_

_“I do,” he said, casting his eyes down.  “We got into some stupid argument about where I was going.. and how I’m supposed to act like a man.. and bullshit, bullshit, bullshit.“ He spat out, the bitter taste of failure on his tongue. “You know how he’s always quick to mention how much of a disappointment I am.  You guys are all successful with careers and I’m just the fucking loser that goes from job to job and has his mommy do his laundry.”  
_

_“Hey,” she softly said.  “You are not a loser, Finn.“_

_“Yeah, okay,” he barked out a dry laugh.  “But anyway.. we got into a fight, I stormed off and drove around the city, cooling off.  And for some reason, Ben and Grandpa just came to mind randomly and I turned to my right.. and right there, right in front of my fucking eyes, is a recruiting center.“_

_“Wow,” Anna breathed out._

_“Yeah,” Finn said.  “It was like.. as cheesy as it sounds.. It was like fate staring me in the fucking face.“_

_Anna pondered his words.  She had worked hard for years, studying and interning at different hospitals.  Getting an offer from Great Osmond had almost fallen into her lap.  Her Chief of Nursing had put in a word for her when contacted for any high quality nurses willing to transfer.  It was around the time where a change of scenery was needed to get herself out of the dark hole she had fallen into._

_If she hadn’t accepted the offer, she would have never moved to London.  She would probably be stuck in that townhouse, surrounded with memories of what life used to be.  She would have never met Harry._

_Was that fate?_

_“I’ve been waiting for an epiphany like that.  And during all the training, I felt like I was finally where I was meant to be, ya know?”_

_The breath of fresh air she felt as she stepped off the plane and onto London grounds came flooding back to her.  She felt new, refreshed.. like she was where she was meant to be as he said.  
_

_She squeezed his hand in understanding.  ”I love you, Finny.”_

_He rolled his eyes.  ”I hate it when you call me that.”_

_Anna grinned.  ”I know.  That’s why I do.”_

_Finn chuckled.  Silence settled between them as they neared the end of their ride, their carriage just a few stops away from the ground.  Anna turned to him again, surprised to find him leaning over to give her a hug.  He wrapped his arms around her shoulder as hers went around him._

_“I’ll be okay,” he promised._

_They made the journey back to her flat after they stepped off and away from the crowds, falling into heavy silence.  Once they entered her apartment, they were both exhausted and ready for sleep.  But neither could separate for the night just yet, both longing to spend as much time with each other while they still could._

_After changing into their night wear, they plopped down on her sofas and chatted while nursing steaming mugs of hot cocoa.  They spent that night talking about their family and reminiscing their childhood, sharing their fondest memories of Ben._

_“Do you remember that time when we were kids when Luke put Ben hanging on the hook on the back of his door?” Finn asked, cackling as he recalled the memory._

_“Oh my god, yes! Ha!” Anna snorted behind her mug before taking a small sip._

_“And he threatened us not to rat him out to Ma or he’d tell Dad some dumb shit that he’d make up.” Anna nodded, giggling behind the hand that covered her mouth.  “And it took Ma like a half hour to notice he wasn’t around so she started looking for him.“ He chuckled._

_“And we’re all just staring at her as she’s going crazy, calling his name and asking us where he is.”_

_“God, we were awful,” she cringed.  “I can still hear him say mommy when she started crying, searching his room.“_

_“Shit, the look on her face.  She tried so hard not to laugh so he wouldn’t feel embarrassed when she turned the door and saw him hanging there.”_

_They sat there quietly, going back in time to a happier time when their family was complete.  Nostalgic smiles appeared on their faces, eyes cast down as they played the scene back to themselves, the resonating sound of Ben’s small childlike voice causing their chests to constrict._

_At one point, her phone began vibrating on the coffee table, lighting up with a grinning Harry displayed on the caller ID.  She quickly glanced at it before turning her attention back to Finn._

_Finn looked at her curiously.  ”Aren’t you going to answer your loverboy?”_

_“Not tonight,” she answered, sharply.  Finn furrowed his brows together, searching her for any indication of what was going through her closed off mind.  He had spent enough time with her to see how she would dive for her phone at the possibility of catching a quick conversation (that mostly consisted of back and forth flirtation) with Harry.  She kept a grip or a watchful eye on her mobile at all times for that reason.  She never missed a call._

_“Anna,” he started, knowing all too well that she was reverting back to her old habit of surrounding herself with internal walls when she was emotionally distressed.  He felt the pang of guilt of being the cause of it, another reason why he was hesitate to confess to her of his career choice.  He had seen her emotionally struggle for years, witnessed her shutting herself off from the family and the very small group of people she associated with in college._

_It hadn’t been easy, the family gathering together to get her some help with counseling.  They had all been worried, fearful of losing her completely.  And after a lengthy amount of time in therapy, he was ecstatic to catch a glimpse of the old Anna again.  And nothing made him more proud of her than to see her bravely pick herself up and move to another country, starting fresh._

_But now, as she avoided Harry’s call, he was afraid of losing her again; he couldn’t bear the thought of her putting up those high walls once again and hiding in her shell.  He refused to allow that to happen.  Not after seeing how happy she was with Harry; how much she laughed, how her eyes sparkled at the mention of him.  He needed her to stay that happy._

_Annalisa cleared her throat, feeling the change in the atmosphere as he pondered quietly.  He didn’t have to voice his thoughts, she could hear them clearly.  ”It’s just you and me, bud,” she cut him off before diving deep into another story of when they were kids.  ”Remember when…”_

——

_The next two days had flown by, despite their desperate wishes to prolong the inevitable.  They barely left her flat, spending the time going through photographs she kept in organized photo albums, viewing home videos her mother had sent her on DVDs, and collaborating on music._

_The last evening of his stay, they couldn’t mask the sadness.  Annalisa was folding his newly clean laundry as Finn arranged his suitcase to fit the souvenirs he was taking back._

_“You seriously need a woman in your life,” Anna teased, shaking off the wrinkles of a gray shirt._

_Finn glanced up from where he was bent over his luggage.  ”I have several,” he retorted, smirking._

_Anna rolled her eyes.  ”You’re disgusting.”_

_“Really? ‘Cause I have references that beg to differ.”_

_“They’re obviously blind,” she joked._

_“Well, I don’t discriminate.  There have been a few Helen Keller roleplayers.” Finn snickered as he easily caught the pair of socks she whipped at him._

_“Ew.. I don’t want to hear about that!” She covered her ears, her nose scrunched up in repulsion._

_“Right,” he cocked a brow.  “Just like I want to hear about Nurse Peaches?“ Anna eyes bugged, a deep flush from humiliation heating her skin.  “You have Gabe to thank for that.”_

_“I fucking hate him,” she muttered._

_“Yeah, you and me both,” he shuddered at the image._

_The shrill sound of her mobile coming to life filled the flat.  Finn paused his task of packing, discreetly eying her reaction.  Anna chewed the inside of her cheek indecisively as the mobile continued to ring out, Harry displayed on the screen.  After awhile, the call went to voicemail and she turned back to the laundry basket._

_Finn shook his head.  He couldn’t avoid the conversation any longer.  ”You’re dodging,” he blurted out._

_“What?” She questioned, absentmindedly._

_“Now you’re avoiding me.” Finn tossed a stack of London pencils and pens on top of the collection of magnets in his open suitcase before straightening and crossing his arms.  “Annalisa.”_

_She quickly glanced at him before bringing her attention back on the pair of jeans she was folding, being extra courteous to smooth out the creases.  “Hm?”_

_“Don’t do this,” he said, sternly._

_Anna sighed.  ”What?”_

_“Listen..” He trailed, unsure of how to begin, careful not to cause a rift between them._

_She turned to him fully, looking at him expectantly with her eyebrows raised.  “Listening..”_

_“Harry… he’s a good guy.”_

_“Yes, I know that..?” She played dumb.  She knew exactly where he was going with this._

_“Don’t act stupid.  He’s good for you.  He makes you happy.  Don’t fuck that up.”_

_Anna let out a dry laugh.  ”Seriously? That’s your advice? Oh, I bow down to you, all wise one.”_

_He narrowed his eyes.  ”Don’t be a bitch.”_

_“Don’t be a dickwad.”_

_Finn threw the same pair of socks she threw at him earlier back at her, hitting her square in the nose.  ”My nose!” They both looked at each other with stony expressions before it crumbled and they busted out into uncontrollable laughter.  “Oh god, I can’t..” She laughed, wiping her eyes._

_Finn cackled, arms resting on his bent knees as he fought to catch his breath.  ”Oh, my nose!” He mocked her._

_He let the seriousness of the conversation go, later on regretting that moment as they fell back into comfortable conversation._

——-

_On the morning of his departure, Anna laid awake staring up at the ceiling, focusing on keeping her nerves calm as she counted her breaths.  She had to keep her thoughts organized and in a safe zone while he was still around to witness a meltdown.  She didn’t want him to worry more than he already hinted at._

_Inhale.  Exhale.  Inhale.  Exhale._

_Anna could tell she wasn’t the only one losing sleep because on the sofa opposite hers, Finn sighed deeply every few minutes, equally dreading the next couple hours when they would have to say their goodbyes._

_After awhile, she was the first to admit defeat, throwing the blanket off of her and swinging her legs to plant her bare feet on the floor.  She winced at the coldness of the hardwood, regretting pulling off her socks the night before._

_“Morning,” she mumbled, only to receive a grunt in reply from him.  “Coffee?“ He grumbled again, kicking off his own blanket to sit up._

_The next couple hours were spent like anyone would imagine. Breakfast.  Showers.  Last minute packing.  Rushing to London Heathrow Airport._

_Then the goodbyes._

_It was harder than she expected it to be, wrapping her arms around him as tightly as she could; the harsh reality of his deployment looming over them.  Finn returned the hug, patting her back, swallowing the lump that started to form in his throat.  ”Take care of yourself, okay?”_

_She nodded, sniffling as the tears rolled down her cheeks.  ”You, too.  Please come back home safe.”_

_“I’ll be okay, I promise,” he whispered, squeezing her before pulling away.  He picked up his carry on and gave her a watery smile.  “Love you, brat.“_

_She lifted her lips into a smile, wiping her tear stricken face.  ”Love you, asshole.”_

_And that was it.  He was off.  She watched him walk away, the anxiety consuming inside her chest as she prayed he would stay safe._

——-

Anna shook her head, forcing the negative thoughts that kept coming forth to the back of her mind where she didn’t have to acknowledge it, coming back to present time.

She fumbled with the phone in her hands, contemplating on what to do next.  She knew it was wrong of her to keep ignoring his calls for the past couple of days.  But she needed some time away; she wanted to focus on the time she had left with Finn without the distraction.

But now that she was alone, stuck in her own thoughts, she knew it was impossible to avoid him any longer.  Anna went through her contacts and brought her phone to her ear as she counted the rings, pleading to get his voicemail.

But Harry answered on the very last ring.  ”Hey, you haven’t called.  You alright?” He asked, worry and relief both laced in his deep voice.

“Yeah, sorry,” she meekly apologized.

Harry instantly tensed up, noting her usual lively tone was off, bringing him back to the phone call he got from her late one night after she suffered the loss of a patient. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah, sure.” Anna scanned the room, passing over the neatly folded blanket with a pillow resting on top from Finn’s week stay on her couch.  Her stomach dipped, missing him already and wishing they had more time before he had to go.

Harry checked the time on his watch, noting the late morning hour.  Realization hit him.  “Oh, have you just dropped Finn off?”

Anna went to answer in a short reply but stopped.  ”How did you know?” She asked instead, accusingly.

“I spoke to Finn yesterday,” Harry said, nonchalant.

Something snapped in her.  ”What?”

Harry furrowed his brows at the sound of anger in her voice.  ”What?” He asked, innocently.

“When did you speak to Finn?” She demanded.

“Uh, sometime when you were in the shower..?” He answered, confusion etched on his face.  “You weren’t taking my calls and we exchanged numbers so I called him to make sure everything was alright over there.  What’s the big deal?”

“The big deal?” Anna clicked her tongue in annoyance.  “Wow, typical.“

“ _What_? Are you angry with me?”

She sighed, rolling her eyes towards the ceiling.  ”My life doesn’t revolve around you, Harry.  If I wasn’t taking your calls, it’s because I was busy.  And I’m calling you back now when I’m _not_ busy.  You don’t have to check up on me.”

Harry felt the frustration and anger at her words bubble in his chest.  ”I know your fucking life doesn’t revolve around me.  Jesus Christ, Anna.  I’m sorry if I fucking cared about my girlfriend _who was not returning my calls_.”

“I didn’t say you couldn’t fucking care, Harry.”

“Yes, you fucking did.  What the hell is wrong with you? Are you angry that I called Finn or are you angry about something else? Because I don’t have the slightest clue as to what I did wrong here.”

“No, of course not.” She huffed.  “You know what? Just forget it.  I’m sick and tired of being treated as if I’m some fragile little girl who can’t take care of herself.  I’ve been on my own for years now.  I don’t need you, or anyone, _checking up on me_.”

How fucking dare he go behind her back and contact her brother.  Like she was some damn damsel in distress.  She could handle herself, stand on her own two feet.  She had her family constantly making sure she was alright; she didn’t need to get the same treatment from Harry.

“Annali-”

She quickly ended the call and tossed the phone to the side, hearing it plop on the cushions.  Breathing deeply to avoid an anxiety attack, she brought her fingers to her hair and tugged through the knotted curls.

Her phone kept buzzing beside her.  She didn’t have to look to know it was Harry.  But she was too annoyed, too frazzled to speak to him.  So she raised herself up and went to take a hot shower.

It was under the steaming spray of the shower where she found guilt, where her thoughts plagued her.  He was worried, rightfully so.  She would have felt the same, would have contacted someone close to him to reach out and make sure nothing awful had occurred. It was wrong of her, she knew, to snap at him.. acting as if everything was his fault.

Because it wasn’t.

Harry had been nothing but kind and comforting to her.  After Philip passed, he had gone out of his way, driving back to London from base in the middle of the night to be there for her.  He had spent his resting hours painting a meaningful mural for her instead of catching up on much needed sleep after a crucial training.  He met her outside the hospital, coffee in hand, so she wouldn’t have to make the journey home alone.

He had done all those things—and much more—without being asked to.

And how she did repay him? By dodging his calls.  Avoiding him and driving him mad with worry that he had to call her brother, whom he had just met.  And then bitching him out for something she did?

She was a terrible person.

After she dried off, she tied the towel securely around herself and made a dash for her phone in the living room.  The guilt ate at her further when she noticed the ten missed calls from him.  She nervously dialed him, the thought of him avoiding her to get back at her crossing her mind.

But he didn’t.  He answered on the second ring.  ”Annali-“

“I’m sorry,” she softly said, interrupting him.  His sharp intake of breath could be heard and Anna knew he was still a little peeved at her.  “I’m sorry, Harry.  I shouldn’t have said what I did or bitched at you.“

“What is going on, Annalisa?”

She inhaled deeply, fluttering her eyes shut as the pain of her following words stabbed her in the gut.  ”Finn’s getting deployed.”

Harry’s annoyance melted away instantly.  ”Oh, baby.. are you alright?”

She laughed humorlessly in response.  ”No.. I’m.. I don’t know.  I’m proud of him; this is something he truly wants.  I support him, obviously…”

“But..?”

She shrugged, feeling the pain intensify the more she thought about it, the more she talked about it.  ”I don’t really want to talk about it,” she said, before quickly adding, “If that’s okay?”

Harry nodded in understanding.  ”Yeah, of course.. of course, love.  But you know I’m here, right? You don’t have to push me away or.. bury how you’re feeling inside.”

“I know,” she whispered.  “And I really am truly sorry for.. that.“

“Never mind that,” he said.  “Tell me what kind of trouble you two got yourselves into while I’ve been away?“

Anna chuckled, the air becoming lighter.  ”Trouble? Are you saying I’m trouble, Captain?”

A smile played on his lips.  ” _I knew you were trouble when you walked in_..”

Anna groaned at his off key singing, raising her hand to smack her forehead.  ”Oh god, please do-“

“ _So shame on me now_ …”

———

_She was on her stomach, arms pulling her weight as she army crawled through the rubble.  She was sure she would be able to hear the tearing of her shirt if it wasn’t so deafening loud around her, screams and groans and explosions filling the air._

_She paused momentarily, the smoke getting trapped in her lungs as she coughed and fought for breath.  But there was no clean air to inhale, just the toxic smoke and foul odors of…blood._

_“Annalisa,” the whispered plea came.  She strained her ears to hear better, trying to block out the other noises to find the source.  “Annalisa.“ She turned her head to the right, a strangled cough catching her attention.  With her body still low to the ground, she crawled and crawled for what seemed like hours until she saw a figure laying face up, a helmet securely in place._

_“Ben..?” A strangled sound escaped through her lips as she made way to the figure as fast as she could._

_“Annalisa….”_

_When she reached the figure, her immediate reaction was to take care of the wounds that were visible.  She raised up on her knees, checking the damage.  He had a banged up knee where she could see was where he was losing the most blood. She tore off her shirt without a second thought, her nursing instinct taking over her anxiety as she created a tourniquet._

_“It’s okay, I got you,” she comforted as he groaned in pain when she applied pressure to the wound, the blood seeping through the cloth immediately._

_“Baby,” he choked out as she examined his scrapes and burned patches of his uniform.  Her hands froze, her heart skipped a beat._

_“No,” she breathed.  “No.“_

_Her eyes slowly roved over the uniform he wore, the contrast of the shades of green, the US Marine patch that wasn’t there.  She welled up, the lump in her throat intensifying as her eyes made their way to his face, a face she had memorized with the soft touch of her fingertips while he slept in her bed._

_“Harry..” She whispered in confirmation, bringing her hands to his helmet, her thumbs sweeping across his cheeks, wiping the dirt that were mixed with his tears._

_His eyes were glazed over, the loss of blood weakening him as his skin became whiter than normal. “I love you,” he forced, mustering up the little strength he had._

_She could no longer hold the tears at bay.  ”Oh, baby I love you.  Stay with me, please.”_

_But he didn’t respond.  He didn’t move.  His body became hard and stiff under her shaky hands that were gripping his camouflage, the life in his eyes nonexistent._

_“Please, baby.. Please..” She sobbed, her tears rolling down her own scraped and dirty cheeks, falling onto his lifeless body. “Come back to me. Come back to me." She cried, her arms around him, her head laying on his chest where the beating of his heart used to be._

_In an alternate universe, where fairy tales were real, he would come back to her.  Her tears would be magic, would be the cure he needed to become full of life once more.. for his chest to puff up with the sudden inhale of breath before it would rise and fall steadily._

_But reality was no fairy tale._

Annalisa sat up in bed with a start, breathing erratically.  Her heart pounded in her ears, the cloudiness in her mind slowly clearing.  She looked around, taking in her familiar surroundings.

She was home.

Bringing her hands to her face, she wiped the wetness that were under her swollen and tired eyes.  She had been crying in her sleep.

She furrowed her brows together, trying to remember what had happened.  Her chest became heavy with anxiety as the pieces of her scattered brain came together.

_Oh no._


	20. How She Let Her Fears Win

“I won’t be able to make it home until Saturday.”

Anna’s eyes lifted from the bowl of batter she was mixing, temporarily pausing the intense circular motion at the sound of Harry’s words.  She caught his apologetic gaze through the laptop screen that had been placed on her breakfast bar.

“Harry..” He cringed at her disappointed tone.

“I know, baby.. But there are some details that they want to discuss with me before I take my leave,” he explained..

Anna sighed.  ”But it’s Maggie’s birthday party tomorrow.” She gestured down towards the mixing bowl.  ”I’m in charge of the cake.”

“I know but you’ll have to have a good time without me.”

Her eyes widened in answer.  ”Without you? Harry, I’ve never been alone with them,” she nervously bit her lip.

Harry chuckled, his eyes rolling upward.  ”Sure you have! You’ve met up with the girls a couple times for lunch.”

“That’s different!” She exclaimed, placing the bowl on the counter space beside the laptop and smoothing down the apron she wore.  “It was just the girls! This is a party that I would be attending…alone.”

“Anna,” Harry started, cocking his head to one side.  “You’ll be brilliant.  You’ve met some of them, just stick to the ones that you know like you for sure,“ he joked.

Anna scowled at him, leaning on her hands that were flat on the counter.  She peered at him, eyes narrowed as she tried her best intimidating look.  ”You’re in trouble, Wales.”

Harry smirked, refraining from letting out a laugh at the stern expression she held.  ”Are you going to spank me?”

“More like whip you,” she retorted.

His smirked turned into a slow grin.  ”Whips and chains excite me,” he sang, finishing off with a wink.

Her breath hitched, wetness pooled between her thighs.  His smooth, deep voice always had that effect on her.  There was nothing more than she wanted to do right now than to be able to pull him out of that screen and beg him to take her there on that counter.

But she couldn’t.  And she wouldn’t be able to touch him until a couple more days than planned.

“We’ll see about that after I’m done with you..” She tried to play off like she wasn’t turned on, like she didn’t crave him, but Harry could tell.

It was in the way her innocent eyes always darkened with desire, her deep and uneven breaths, and the slight part of her pouty lips before her teeth would seductively chew on the corner of her bottom lip.

“Mm.. I bet we will,” Harry replied, his tongue wetly sliding slowly across his bottom lip.  A self satisfied grin adorned his features at the sight of her lips parting, just as he suspected, as she stared intently at his mouth.  “Won’t we, peaches?“

“Hm?” Anna hummed, her heated gaze fixated on his lips as she imagined her own tongue tasting them, teasing him into oblivion.  She brought the corner of her bottom lip into her mouth, Harry’s cocky grin widening.

“Show me your tits,” he challenged, causing Anna to snap out of the sexual trance she was in.

“What?!”

Harry shrugged, innocently.  ”Come on.. I miss them.” He brought his palms up to a cupping position, winking in her direction.  ”I’m quite certain they miss these.”

Anna huffed and crossed her arms, unintentionally pushing her breasts up.  ”Keep that up and you’ll be missing them for a lot longer than planned.”

Harry laughed, bringing his hands to cover his chest.  ”Yeah, definitely not the same,” he commented, causing giggles to escape her.

“You’re lucky you’re adorable.”

“Stop, I’m blushing.”

“Naturally,” she said, earning a snort as she took a jab at his rosy cheeks.

He quickly glanced at the time that was on the bottom of the computer screen, inwardly groaning.  ”Okay, love, I don’t have much time.  There was something I wanted to discuss with you.”

She quirked a brow.  ”Oh? Besides your longing for my tits?”

“They’re beautiful tits,” he commented, smiling at her unamused expression.  He cleared his throat.  “So I’ve been taking up some meetings lately about what’s next for my military career.“ Anna nodded, recalling the few times he had mentioned meetings in passing.  “At some point, I would like to rank up ….”

“Right,” she said, slowly, nudging him along.

“And in order for me to do that, there’s a new position I would have to take on first.  I guess it’s required for all soldiers at a time or another to have experience in desk work.”

“Desk work?” Her ears perked up at the sound of that and what that would mean.  “Like, filing paperwork and whatnot?“

Harry shifted his head from side to side.  ”Something like that.  My responsibilities would be a little more complex than just paperwork. I’d be in charge of organizing events like award ceremonies and Trooping of the Colour.”

“So you’d no longer be on active duty?” She asked, hopeful.

Ever since the nightmare she had a few nights ago, she couldn’t get it out of her thoughts no matter what she did to occupy her mind.  It was effecting her day to day routine.

She was restless in bed, too afraid  to fall into unconsciousness at the possibility of having the reoccurring dream.  She was clumsy during waking hours, overflowing her coffee mug twice in one day.  At the hospital, parents and coworkers noted how she always seemed to be stuck in her own head and rarely hummed a tune.

But what Harry was insinuating with this new job title, it seemed all of the worry and restless nights were coming to an end.

“I wouldn’t be part of the Army Air Corps, yeah, but active for Blues and Royals as a Staff Officer.  The contract is for a year.  After that..” He trailed off.

“Wow,” Anna breathed.  “Harry, that’s.. That’s amazing.“

“Thank you, love.” He smiled, relieved to finally be able to let her in on his plans.  “You’ll be seeing me a lot more.“

She grinned, her spirits lifted by the sounds of that.  ”That’s the best news.  Certainly makes up for the bad news you gave me earlier.”

Harry lifted his brows.  ”Really now? No sassy remark on how you rather digest rat poison than spend more time with me?”

Anna raised one shoulder in a half shrug.  ”What can I say? I miss your handsome face.”

He pursed his lips, nodding slightly.  ”Wow.. Now a compliment? Are you coming down with something?”

She laughed freely, the haunting sounds of her nightmares drifting away.  Harry was going to remain safe, the chances of him being deployed slim to none with his new position and the promises of the war’s end nearing in the new coming year.

“Maybe the love bug.”

Harry wrinkled his nose.  ”That was incredible corny.  I’m embarrassed for you.”

“I don’t even care,” she giggled, her eyes sparkling as she stared happily at him.

Harry sighed in contentment.  Everything seemed to be falling into place.  He had the woman of his dreams, a promising future of a life together.  And now a new chapter of his career was beginning, a step closer to becoming the man he desired to be.

“I gotta say, baby,” he began, a giddiness taking over as he squirmed in his seat, threading his fingers through his messy locks.  “At first, I wasn’t quite thrilled about it.  It’s nerve-wracking work and I’m not so sure I’m cut out for it.. Let’s face it, I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed..”

“Stop,” she scolded.  “You are very bright, Henry.”

“Sure,” he said, unconvinced.  “But after giving it some thought, I’m excited.  I mean.. This is a great opportunity.  It’s just the type of experience I need under my belt to promote to Major and finally be out on the frontline with the boys again.”

Anna’s stomach sank, her smile fading.

Harry kept talking, but she zoned out.  Explosions went off in her ears, her vision became cloudy from the dust and smoke that surrounded her, filling her lungs as she inhaled the toxins.

The image of Harry’s stiff and lifeless body under her trembling hands crushed her, punching her in the gut and whisking away all the excitement she had felt just moments ago.

“Frontline?” She frowned, blinking rapidly to come back to present time.

When her vision became clear again, she focused on the confused state of Harry.  He must have said quite a bit that she missed.

“What?” He asked.

She shook her head, the strands of hair that hung out of her loose ponytail tickling her neck.  ”So.. There’s a possibility that at some point you will be deployed?”

“Well..” He paused.  “Yeah… Obviously it won’t be in the current war but… Possibly sometime in the distant future.“

Annalisa’s frown deepened as she pondered the confirmation of her fears.

Deployed? Harry at war?

Harry could see the fearful look in her eyes and cursed.  ”I’m sorry.  I know this is awful timing to be discussing this with Finn and all that but.. You don’t have to worry about that right now, Annalisa.  I mean it’s not even something we should really think about.  The war is almost over and who knows if there will be another in our lifetime.”

“There will always be war, Harry.” She voiced the old words of her grandfather, wincing at the menacing tone she took.

“Okay..” Harry was taken aback by the harshness in her voice, momentarily pausing before he proceeded with caution.  “I’m not saying there is or isn’t.  What I’m simply stating is tha-“

“Are you ever planning on quitting the army and becoming a full time royal?” Anna prayed for the answer she desired, but knew in her heart the answer he would give.

“Not.. really.” He inhaled, collecting his thoughts to form the correct words to make her understand.  “Annalisa, I’m a soldier.  It’s who I am.  I am a soldier before a prince.  Being a prince wasn’t a choice.  It was already planned out for me.  But a soldier? The army? This is the life path that I have chosen for myself.“ He cleared his throat.  “If a year from now or hell, ten years from now, if there is a battle to be fought, I will do my duty and fight for my country.  I go wherever I am needed.”

Anna was silent, taking it all in.  She felt foolish for her initial reaction, understanding where he was coming from.  Discussions of war was nothing new to her; it was more familiar than most thought, spending countless family dinners with military being the topic of conversation.

Yes, he was a soldier.  She knew that.  She was aware of how much pride and joy he felt from his work.  And he was damn good at his job.

“I know… I know,” she whispered, forcing a smile.  “You’ll be great.“

He let out a breath he wasn’t aware he had been holding, a smile plastered on his face again.  ”Thank you.”

A heavy knock interrupted their conversation, followed by a stern “Wales!”

“On my way out, Marx!” Harry called over his shoulder before turning back to her.  “I gotta go, babe.“

“Okay,” Anna pouted.

“One peek before I go?” He motioned towards her chest, a Cheshire cat grin appearing.

Anna snorted but reached for the collar of her shirt, surprising them both.  Harry rubbed his hands together in anticipation, his mouth watering and his stomach muscles tightening with desire as she pulled her shirt down, exposing her lacy undergarment.

“Very nice,” he whistled, leaning forward to get a closer look.  “Don’t worry, mamas, daddy will be home to play soon..“

His attention snapped back to her face when she quickly covered herself, his rosy cheeks deepening in color as his insides heated up.

“That’s all you get, captain.  Get to work,” she teased.

“Yes, ma’am,” he nodded, adjusting himself discreetly.  “Enjoy yourself at the party, yeah?“

“I’ll try,” she mumbled.

“You’ll be fine.. Love you, see you Saturday.”

“Love you,” she blew him a kiss before gently pulling the top down, the secure click sound wiping the smile off her face.  She sighed heavily into the empty space, swallowing repeatedly to ease the lump in her throat.  Pure dread consumed her, muscles tight and chest heavy.

She should be celebrating Harry’s success as he took the necessary step to further his career, increasing his chances of promotion to a title he truly wanted and deserved. She should be jumping for joy at the realization that he would be close to her, every day and all day.  They would be able to spend much more time together; she could enjoy lunch with her boyfriend in the middle of the week like normal couples did.  Nights at home would no longer consist of her tossing and turning, tangled in her sheets alone.

She should be happy.

So why wasn’t she?

“I go wherever I’m needed…”

She angrily picked up the mixing bowl and began to beat the batter with more force than necessary, her mind racing and her breaths coming out in pants as she pushed away the negative thoughts and focused on baking the best damn cake she ever baked.

 

——-

Anna stumbled through her door, hopping on one foot as she struggled with taking off her other shoe.  It was barely midnight and she was already home from celebrating Maggie’s twenty-ninth birthday, feeling like the pathetic teenager she once was.

She didn’t have Harry there to support her as previously planned, but Skippy took it upon himself to take her under his wing, offering a helping hand at introducing her to several people.  It was the biggest party she had ever been to and even now she couldn’t think of a single person’s face that she had met, never mind recalling their names.  They were welcoming, knowing she was Harry’s girlfriend, and conversed with her in polite conversation.

But she felt out of place and she wasn’t in the mood to social.

Beth and Liv had noticed her closed off body language, coming up to her as Skippy abandoned her to chat up a pretty girl.  They found her nursing a martini at the bar, swirling the olive pick in the clear drink, a sad aura surrounding her.  They questioned her, wondering if everything was okay.  She lied and blamed it on a pounding headache from the hard work week.  She instantly felt guilty at their sympathetic looks as they told her it was alright to leave the party early.

There was no doubt she would have to face Harry, knowing he was to call Maggie during the festivities to wish her a well birthday.

“Speak of the devil, and the devil appears,” she mumbled at her vibrating phone.  “Hey,” she answered it, no use in avoiding.

“Feeling okay, love? Mags said you had to leave because you weren’t feeling so hot.” His voice created heart palpitations as she breathed slowly to calm it.

“I’m fine,” she said, dropping her shoes and purse near the door before she passed the living area and kitchen, making her way to the bathroom.  “Just a headache.”

“How was the party? Was everyone nice to my girl?” He asked, yawning as he laid in bed.

She switched the shower on and watched the water roll off the skin of her hand, feeling the change in temperature as it warmed up.  “They were lovely,” she answered.

“Yeah?”

“Mhm.”

“Is that all?” Harry chuckled at her vague responses.

“Yep,” she said.

He let out another rather loud yawn.  “Sorry, I’m exhausted.”

Anna undid the clip that held the strands of her dark curls securely in place, and felt liberated as her hair freely cascaded down her back, shaking it out.  “It’s okay.  You should get some rest.”

“You, too.  Have you taken anything for your headache?”

“Yeah,” she lied.  “I’m going to take a shower then crawl into bed myself.”

Harry groaned, rolling onto his side as he pressed the phone to his ear.  “Shower? Damn, baby..”

Anna let out a weak laugh.  “Don’t get any ideas.  Get some sleep and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Fine,” he pouted.  “We’ll reenact the dreams I’m sure I’ll be having tomorrow night then.”

“Absolutely,” she agreed.  “Sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight, darling.”

Anna clicked off her phone, placing it on the sink counter before undressing and stepping into the hot shower.

Not long after, she fell into a slumber, her body exhausted as it shut down on her.  She was dreaming, she was sure.  But it was different than she was used to this time.

She was years older, her hair specked with stray grey hairs and laugh lines more prominent.  She was behind the wheel of an unfamiliar car, driving through the country as the laughter of two little girls filled the car.  Edward was seated to her left, occasionally returning her smile at the silliness that was occurring behind them.

“Mummy, sissy says the moon is a big ball of cheese.. and when it’s not a big circle sometimes, it’s because Daddy landed on the moon and got hungry.  Is that true?”

She glanced in the mirror, smiling warmly at the curious eyes that stared back at her.  “Well, baby, let’s review the facts.  Daddy tends to do things that are big and beyond, he enjoys outer space, and-”

The little girl with dark curls that reminded her of her own gasped and turned to her older sister, who sat with a mischievous grin, fingering her red locks.  “…And he loves cheese.”

Annalisa laughed loudly as fits of giggles increased in volume behind her.  She turned on her signal, a house coming into view as the car rolled to a stop.  Anna’s laughter faded immediately when she saw her disheveled father-in-law conversing with two Army officials outside of her home.  Edward tensed beside her.

With Harry being deployed in a foreign country, the sight before her could only mean one thing.

“No…”

“No,” she shouted, her eyes popping open, only to be met with darkness.  She propped her weight on her elbows, squinting to take in her surroundings.

She had been dreaming… of a family.

Her family.

Their family.

A strangled cry passed through her lips as she flung herself back to his side of the bed, hugging his pillow close and letting her tears soak through.  She let herself go, no longer able to suppress all the emotions she had been bottling up for weeks now.

She replayed the several nightmares and the current dream over and over in her mind as sobs wracked her fragile frame.  Her mind raced, her heart ached.

Was this what she had to look forward to? Was this what her future held for her?

She was stupid.  So stupid to believe she could ever get her happily ever after.  It wasn’t in the cards for her, her whole life being the evidence of that.

She loved him.. She was in love with him.  She took a leap of faith and gave her heart away to a man.. A man who loved her equally in return.

But she knew how that would end, like it always did.  Tragically.  And she would be on the losing end.

What was she supposed to do? What was the right answer? Was she supposed to allow him to take all of her.. become completely his in every sense of the word.  Vow herself to him, create a life together.. build a home with a family.

For it all to get taken from her.  For Harry to be ripped away from them.

Then what would she be left with? A shattered heart, a broken soul.. emptiness.

Their children.

She wouldn’t be strong enough to keep herself together as she would have to sit down with them and explain why their daddy was never coming back.  She wouldn’t be able to bear the looks on their crushed faces as the pain of their father never witnessing all the pivotal moments in their lives, all the milestones and success.

Nothing was ever set in stone, she knew.  But there was always a risk of life not happening the way it was supposed to.

But was she able to risk all of that?

She wasn’t sure she was.

 

———

 

She spent the following day fretting over his arrival and how she would approach him with the decision she had come to.  She practiced it over and over in her head, never finding the right words or the correct way to act.

It wasn’t long before Harry arrived, tossing his bag to the side after wishing Dave a good night and shutting the door.  A bright smile broke out onto his face and Anna willed herself to match it.  He strode over to where she was rooted to the spot near the sofa, her hands wringing together nervously.

“Hey you,” he greeted, his hands instinctively holding her waist as he ducked his head and kissed her fully on the mouth.  But her lips were unresponsive.  He leaned back to take a look at her, his brows furrowing.  She was always quick to reciprocate his affections, never afraid to show him how much she missed him during their time apart.  “What’s wrong?”

Anna averted her eyes behind him, fixating on a random spot on the wall to avoid his stare.  “Nothing.  How was your drive in?”

Harry paused, searching for any indication of what was going on with her.  But when she returned her eyes to his, a weak smile forming on her lips, he shrugged and made his way over to her kitchen to grab himself a glass of water.  “It was fine.  I crashed and took a short nap on the way over.” He downed the whole glass before refilling it again.  “I swear if I had to put that helmet on one more time today..” He trailed, catching the way her body stiffening at his words.  “Anna?”

Anna clenched her fists, remembering the way her hands held his helmet as she watched him take his last break in her dreams.  She began to tremble, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.  It felt like a ton of bricks were on her chest with how heavy it felt, with how uneven her breaths were coming out.

Harry placed the glass of water down and went to her.  He stooped down to get to her eye level, his hands rubbing her arms up and down to warm her up.  “You’re freezing, love.” But she didn’t respond.  “Annalisa, what is it?”

Her heart was slowly cracking at his worried expression, the loving way he was trying to comfort her.  This was it.

“I don’t think.. I can do this.. anymore,” she slowly revealed.

Harry’s hands stopped their motion on her arms.  “Do.. what?” He asked, uncertainty clearly in his voice.

Her eyes darted around frantically as she backed away from his touch.  “This.”

Harry still wasn’t getting it, growing more confused by the second.  “This?” He questioned.  “This meaning what exactly?”

“ _Us_ ,” she choked out.

“Annalisa,” he said, taking a step toward her.  But she took two steps back.  “What’s going on?”

She shook her head, not caring of the tears that were starting to flow freely down her cheeks, falling to the floor.  “I can’t.. be with you, Harry.”

His breathing became shallow, his heart galloping in his chest.  “Wha.. What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I’m saying it’s over.  Us.. This.. It’s.. It’s done.” She bit her lips, not knowing what to say or what to do next as Harry began to pace directly in front of her, attacking his hair with his fingers.

“You keep fucking saying shit like that.. But I have no idea where this is even coming from.” He stopped and looked frantically at her.  “Did something happen? Did someone say something to upset you?”

“No.”

“Did I do something wrong? Did I not do something I was supposed to?”

“No, Harry.”

“Then what the fuck is this?!” He shouted, tugging his hair in frustration, starting to pace again as he fought for breath, fought for control to calm down.

“It was nothing you did or didn’t do.. I just.. I just can’t..” She repeated.  “I just… can’t.”

“You just..” He shook his head wildly.  “You just can’t?!”

Anna took a step toward him and this time he took two steps back from her.  “I’m sorry, Harry.”

He laughed, dryly.  “You’re sorry?!” Annalisa flinched at the rising anger in his tone.  “You’re fucking sorry?!” Harry threw his hands up in the air in exasperation.  “You.. are.. sorry.”

She tried to reach out to him but he brought his palms up in front of him, stopping her.  “Harry..”

“No,” he said, angrily.  “Just don’t fucking touch me right now.”

“Please..”

There was fire in his eyes at the sound of her plea.  “Please? Please what, Annalisa? Please don’t be angry with you? Please don’t push you away? Please what?!” She remained silent, choking back sobs as he stalked away from her and towards the window.  He placed his hands flat on the wall, his head hanging and feet planted on the ground.  He tried to calm down, tried to breathe evenly to not scare her with his anger.  But he didn’t know what was going on.

He counted to ten, then ten backwards, collecting his thoughts.  “Is it because of my royal status? Is it too much for you? Are you worried of my family?”

The sound of his broken voice tore her to pieces.  She didn’t know which one was worse.  The way he was now, quiet and facing away from her, or yelling and showing her how angry and confused he was.

“It’s not like that,” she whispered.  “It’s… You’re a soldier.” His shoulders sagged as his head met the wall in a thud.  “Your life is to serve your country and to do your duty.. and to go wherever you get called to go.. And I, I don’t think I can be a part of that, Harry.  I don’t think I can be a military girlfriend or.. a soldier’s wife.”

“Why?” He breathed.  “You don’t.. love me?”

She slowly made her way over to where he was, gently touching his back and felt his muscles tense.  “Of course I love you,” she whispered, placing a soft kiss between his shoulder blades.  “Of course, I do.”

“But not enough.”

Minutes of silence found Harry in the same position with Annalisa’s head resting on his back, her arms hugging him from behind, both afraid to move.  Once they did, that would be it.  There would be nothing left to say, nothing left to do but for him to walk out her door.

And he did.


End file.
